How do I deal with anxiety and worry as a Muslim?
The Prophet ﷺ had a specific duʿāʾ for grief and anxiety. Ibn al-Qayyim wrote that dhikr dissolves it. The classical prescription is practical — and rooted in tawakkul.
10 passages from 7 books in the library
The classical scholars treated grief and anxiety as conditions the heart can work through rather than merely endure. Drawing on al-Ghazali's writings on Fear and Hope and the Remembrance of Death, the tradition reframes a measure of sorrow as spiritually useful — sadness over past sins that turns the heart toward Allah and away from heedlessness of the world. The page notes that Ibn al-Qayyim taught that dhikr, the remembrance of Allah, dissolves anxiety, and that the Prophet ﷺ had a specific supplication for grief and worry.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 7 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Kathir — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"When all of this is completed, it is incumbent upon the heart to maintain sadness, worry"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"long-lasting, and your grief and anxiety enduring. This shall serve as one of the"
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"observing his fear and anxiety. Mudar, the reciter, once recited the verse, this is our book that speaks against you with truth."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Safety from sin is a blessing, and freedom from grief and bitterness is a blessing that has been removed from him."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"anxiety over past sins, veils and coverings will be revealed, and your flaws and secrets will appear."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Despite his grief, he remained composed in speech and action. He leaned down, uncovered the prophet's"
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"In his final moments, his distress intensified, his moaning became apparent, his anxiety manifested,"
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"But what we cannot dispel from ourselves is the everlasting grief and remembrance that never fades."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"lament of David, peace be upon him, was praiseworthy, as it was accompanied by continuous grief and"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"terrors, before no family or wealth can benefit. Anoint your eye with the dramatic sadness when the"
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