One of the best ways to draw closer to Allah is by realising that we as humans are vulnerable and in need. Whether we believe it or not, our need for Allah is far greater than we can imagine and the way to draw closer to him is through the simple act of Du’a.
The Prophet ﷺ told us that ‘Du’a is the essence of worship’ meaning that it stands as the central and most important form of expressing our need for Allah. Many Muslim scholars of the past and present have stressed the importance of Du’a. Ibn al-Qayyim states that “the Du’a is the enemy of calamity and is the weapon of the believer.”
Below there are eight supplications that are effective and powerful in times of need, specifically when one is seeking protection from evil. Whilst some may be familiar, the point of presenting these supplications is so that one understands the Du’a he/she is making. Only then can we be successful in transforming a simple prayer into an experience. The idea is to drift away from making empty prayers and instead find a way to make our hearts present when reciting these supplications. The importance of this comes from a prophetic tradition wherein the Prophet ﷺ mentioned, “Allah does not answer the prayer coming from a preoccupied heart.” [Musnad Ahmed]
For this reason, the translation of the supplication will be added along with a brief explanation to aid in understanding the supplication.
Du’a To Protect Oneself From Harm
اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ مَعَالِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشَرَكِهِ وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ
عَلَى نَفْسِي سُوءًا أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَى مُسْلِمٍ
O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the Unseen and Visible, there is no true god but You, Lord of all things and their Sovereign. I seek refuge in You from the evil of myself and the evil of Shayṭān and his (encouragement to commit) idolatry, and from bringing evil to myself or to another Muslim.
This Du’a is something that the Prophet ﷺ taught the best of his companions, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Upon Abu Bakr’s request on what to recite in the morning and evening, the Prophet ﷺ instructed him to recite the above. [Musnad Ahmad]
Du’a To Avoid Sudden Afflictions
(recite three times in the morning and evening)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing
The son in law of the Prophet ﷺ, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (may Allah be pleased with him), mentioned that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say, “Whoever repeats, ‘In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing ’three times [in the evening] will not be stricken with a sudden affliction until he reaches the morning. And whoever repeats this three times in the morning will not be stricken with a sudden affliction until he reaches the evening. [Sunan Abu Dawud]
Du’a For General Well-Being
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي وَاحْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِ
O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my property. O Allah, conceal my faults and keep me safe from what I fear. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, on my right and on my left, and from above me. And I seek refuge in Your Magnificence from being swallowed up from beneath me.
This is a very comprehensive supplication that holistically covers all the needs of a human being. It was common for the Prophet ﷺ to recite this Du’a constantly that it became one that he recited every morning and every night.
Du’a For Protection When Leaving Home
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
In the Name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah. There is no might nor power except with Allah.
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If a man leaves his home and says: ‘In the Name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah. There is no might nor power except with Allah. ’It will be said to him: ‘You have been sufficed and protected, ’and Shaitan will become distant from him.’” [Jami al-Tirmidhi]
Du’a To Remove Anxiety
(repeat seven times in the morning and seven times in the evening)
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Allah is enough for me. There is no true god but Him, in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.
With the rise in mental illnesses, it becomes even more important to remember that Allah is sufficient for all our needs. The Du’a intends to help us realise that Allah is in control of everything and that the best way forward is by placing trust in Him and His plans.
What To Recite When Afflicted With Pain
Place your hand where you feel pain and say the following three times:
(x3) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
In the name of Allah (x3)
Then repeat the following seven times:
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
I seek refuge in Allah and in His power from the evil of what I am experiencing and what I fear.”
Uthman b. Abu al-‘As Al-Thaqafi reported that he made a complaint of pain to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) that he felt in his body at the time he had become Muslim. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say Bismillah (in the name of Allah) three times and seven times ‘A’udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru’ – (I seek refuge in Allah and in His Power from the evil of what I am experiencing and what I fear). [Sahih Muslim]
Du’a For Protection From Grief
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and grief; from inability and laziness; from stinginess and cowardice; and from the burden of debt and oppression of men.
Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that this supplication was one that the Prophet ﷺ never neglected. Thoughts are floating in our minds all day long and it can add up to mental tension when left unaddressed. This supplication helps us realise that the anxiety, grief and useless thoughts that float our minds are not worth the attention.
Dua For Protection From Illnesses
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الأَسْقَامِ
Oh Allah! I seek refuge in you from vitiligo, madness, leprosy, and evil diseases.
This is another supplication that the Prophet ﷺ would make frequently. The supplication makes mention of very specific illnesses and not temporary ailments such as headaches and fevers. Scholars tell us that the reason behind this is because they are easy to withstand, and if done correctly, can bring a great deal of reward. The illnesses mentioned in this supplication are all chronic diseases and ones that could impact the quality of one’s life in a major way
Image Credit – Faseeh Fawaz, Unsplash
The adventurous spirit behind the pages of British Muslim magazine. As the Editor-in-Chief, Natasha leads with a passion for exploration and a pen dipped in wanderlust. With a keen eye for halal travel experiences and an insatiable curiosity for new experiences, she brings readers along on captivating journeys to far-flung destinations. Through her vibrant storytelling, Natasha invites readers on enriching adventures, where every experience is a window into the muslim world.
