Recite these duas if you or a loved one is sick!
Recite these duas if you or a loved one is sick!
As Muslims, we are taught that we should make dua for those who are sick. When we make dua, we are asking Allah (SWT) to grant the sick person a speedy and complete recovery. We are also asking Allah (SWT) to ease their pain and suffering. Making dua for the sick is a way of showing our compassion and care for them. It is also a way of fulfilling our duty as Muslims to help those in need. When we make dua for the sick, we are also reminding ourselves that we should be grateful for our own health and safety.
Why Does Allah (SWT) Allow Sickness?
You might be wondering why Allah (SWT) allows sickness in the first place. There are a number of reasons why Allah (SWT) lets sickness exist. First and foremost, sickness can be a test from Allah (SWT). It is a way for us to show our patience and reliance on Him. God allowed Prophet Ayub (as) to remain sick for almost 20 years of his life. This was a way to test his patience and reliance on God. Ultimately, passing the test brought him closer to Allah (SWT).
Sickness is also an expiation for sin as mentioned by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Bukhari. The punishment for sin might be more painful if received in the hereafter. God through His Mercy gives us the punishment through sickness in this world to make life after death easier for us.
And lastly, sickness is a way for us to remember God. If we or our loved ones never got sick, we wouldn’t remember God as much. Sickness encourages us to talk to and remember God, which can bring us closer to him.
Pre-Requisites for Reciting Dua
Reciting dua is more than simply reciting it. If you are well enough, try and follow as many pre-requisites of dua as possible:
- Perform wudhu
- Wear perfume
- Give charity
- Face the qiblah
- Start with Bismillah and praise of God
- Raise your hands
- Pray for others before yourself
- Sending blessings on the Prophet and his family before and after the dua
Learn more about the etiquette of duas.
This leads us to the main part of this article, which are the duas we can recite if we or a loved one is feeling sick. Here are some powerful duas covering specific and general sicknesses.
Two Duas for Physical Sickness
One powerful dua for headaches and other physical sicknesses such as muscular spasms, bone pain, cuts and bruises is to rub your hand on the affected area and say the following:
Allahumma Rabban-naas, azhibil-ba’s, washfi antash-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illaa shifaa’uka, shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqamaa.
“O Allah, Lord of mankind, do away with my suffering. Heal (me) as You are the only Healer and there is no cure except that of Yours, it is that which leaves no ailment behind.”
You can try this on your own body or do it for someone else who might be in too much pain to do it themselves. Recite the dua as many times as needed.
There is a similar dua for physical sickness mentioned in Sahih Muslim. This is a very short dua. Before reciting the dua one should place their hand on the affected area (not rub their hand) and say the following:
Bismillah (x3) ‘A’udhu bi’izzatillahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa ‘uhadhiru (x7).
In the Name of Allah (x3) I seek refuge with Allah and with His Power from the evil that afflicts me and that which I apprehend (x7).”
Three Duas for Physical Sickness or Mental Distress
In Sunan Abi Dawud, the Prophet has advised his companions to recite the following if they or someone they know is sick:
Robbana-Allahullazi fis-samaai taqoddasas-muka amruka fis-samaai wal-ardhi kamaa rohmatuka fis-samaai faj-al rohmataka fil-ardhi. Ighfir lanaa huubanaa wa khotoyaanaa anta robbut-toyyibeen. Anzil rohmatan min rohmatika wa shifaan min shifaaika ‘alaa haazal-waja’i fa-yabra’u.
Oh our Lord Allah Who is in Heaven, Holy be Your name, Your will is done in heaven and on earth; as Your mercy is in heaven, bestow it upon the earth. Forgive us of our sins and our wrong ways. You are the Lord of the good. Send down mercy from You and remedy from You to heal upon this pain, so that it is healed up.”
This beautiful dua left behind by our Prophet can be said for any sickness. It doesn’t have to be used exclusively for physical pain.
Imam Ali ibn Musa ar-Ridha (d. 202AH), encouraged people to recite two duas to alleviate any kind of sickness:
O-e’ezo nafsee be-rabbil arze wa rabbis samaaa-e o-e’ezo nafsee bil-lazee laa yazurro ma-a’s mehi daa-un o-e’ezo nafsee bil-lazis mohu baraktun wa shefaaun.
I seek protection for myself in the Lord of the earth and the Lord of the heavens. I seek protection for myself in Him with Whose Name no disease causes harm. I seek protection for myself in Him Whose Name is a blessing and healing.”
And:
Yaa munzelash shefaaa-e wa muzhebad daa-e anzil a’laa waja-e’yash shefaa-e.
O Bestower of healing and Remover of illness, send down healing for my ailment.”
The Dua of Prophet Ayub in the Quran
No other Prophet fell sick as much as Prophet Ayub (as) so naturally, the best dua for sickness we can find is from him. The following is mentioned in verse 83 of Surah al-Anbiyaa:
Rabbi annee massaniyad-durru wa-anta arhamur-raahimeen.
My Lord. Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
The authenticity of any dua in the Holy Qur’an cannot be doubted, making this dua more powerful than any other. This short and beautiful dua for the sick can be recited for any ailment – physical or mental. It’s not that you have to be in physical discomfort to recite the dua. The dua can help with mental sicknesses such as depression, anxiety and stress.
One More Dua for the Sick From the Quran
The wife of the Prophet, Aisha, mentioned in Bukhari that when the Prophet would get sick, he would seek recourse through the holy verses of the Qur’an. He did this when he had a serious illness:
- Recite Surah al-Falaq once
- Recite Surah An-Nas once
- Blow your breath over the entire body
Our sickness or ailment could be caused by the evil eye or through the scheming of Satan. This prescription can bat away any unseen forces affecting our physical or mental state.
Invoke the Names of Allah (SWT)
Allah (SWT) has 99 beautiful names. One of them is Ash-Shaafee, meaning the One who cures and heals. If for whatever reason you are unable to recite duas invoking Allah (SWT) through his attribute as the Healer can help us manage sickness.
