Debt is not merely a financial matter — it can weigh heavily on the heart, consume our thoughts, and make us feel hopeless. Islam recognizes this burden and offers both spiritual and practical solutions to help believers cope with and eventually overcome it.
The Prophet ﷺ himself frequently sought refuge from debt in his daily supplications, acknowledging its power to weaken one’s emotional and spiritual state. In fact, in several authentic hadiths, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ expressed concern over how debt can impact a person’s truthfulness and behavior.
But Islam does not leave the believer without tools. Through duʿāʾ (supplication) and sincere reliance on Allah ﷻ, paired with effort and planning, relief is possible. The following are authentic and powerful supplications that the Prophet ﷺ and his companions used when faced with debt and distress
Dua for Debts
Dua For Debt | Dua For Mountains of Debt
On the authority of Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Mu’adh, ‘Shall I not teach you a prayer, by which, if you were to have a debt like the mountain of Uhud, Allah would take it away from you? Say, O Mu’adh,
عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لمعاذ ألا أعلمك دعاء تدعو به لو كان عليك مثل جبل أحد دينا لأداه الله عنك، قل يا معاذ
اللهمَّ مالكَ الملكِ تُؤتي الملكَ مَن تشاءُ، وتنزعُ الملكَ ممن تشاءُ، وتُعِزُّ مَن تشاءُ، وتذِلُّ مَن تشاءُ، بيدِك الخيرُ إنك على كلِّ شيءٍ قديرٌ . رحمنُ الدنيا والآخرةِ ورحيمُهما، تعطيهما من تشاءُ، وتمنعُ منهما من تشاءُ، ارحمْني رحمةً تُغنيني بها عن رحمةِ مَن سواك
Allahumma malikal mulki tu’til mulka man tasha’u, wa tanzie’ul mulk mimman tasha’u, wa tu’izzu man tasha’u, wa tudhillu man tasha’u, biyadikal khairu innaka ‘ala kulli shai’in qadeer. Rahmanud-dunya wal-akhirati wa rahimahuma, tu’uteehima man tasha’u, wa tamna’u minhuma man tasha’u, arhamni rahmatan tugninee biha ‘an rahmati man siwak.
“O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will, and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will, and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is all good. Indeed, You have power over all things. Most Merciful in this world and the Hereafter and also their Cherisher, You grant them to whom You will and You withhold from whom You will. Show mercy on me a mercy that will make me free of the mercy of anyone except You.”
Dua for Debts | Istiaza From Poverty
اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَعـوذُ بِكَ مِـنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر ، وَأَعـوذُ بِكَ مِـنْ فِتْـنَةِ المَسيحِ الدَّجّـال ، وَأَعـوذُ بِكَ مِـنْ فِتْـنَةِ المَحْـيا وَالمَمـات . اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّـي أَعـوذُ بِكَ مِنَ المَأْثَـمِ وَالمَغْـرَم
Transliteration: Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min ‘adhabi’l-Qabr, wa a’udhu bika min fitnatil-Masihid-Dajjal, wa a’udhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat. Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-ma’thami wal-maghram.
Translation: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from sins and from being in debt.”
Dua for Debts | Praying for Wealth Through Halal Means
اللَّهمَّ اكفني بِحلالِكَ عن حرامِكَ، وأغنِني بِفَضلِكَ عَمن سواكَ
Allahumm-akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwaka.
O Allah, grant me sufficient of what You make lawful so that I may dispense with what You make unlawful, and enable me by Your bounty to dispense with all but You.
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī (3563) – Hasan | Also narrated by al-Ḥākim and al-Ṭabarānī
Dua for Debts | Istaza From the Burden of Debts
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الهَمِّ وَالحُزْنِ، وَالعَجْزِ وَالكَسَلِ وَالبُخْلِ وَالجُبْنِ، وَضَلْعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-huzni, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasali, wal-bukhli wal-jubni, wa dala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, helplessness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and the oppression and overpowerment of men.
Practical Steps for Tackling Debt
In addition to seeking divine help through these Duas, it is equally crucial to take practical steps to address your debt situation. These steps may include:
- Create a budget and track your income and spending.
- Prioritize paying off high-interest debts first.
- Develop a plan to allocate more money to pay off debt each month.
- Reach out to creditors and renegotiate your terms when possible.
- Avoid accumulating new debts.
- Seek financial coaching or debt counseling if necessary.
Between the power of Duas and proactive steps to alleviate debt, it is possible to overcome your financial situation. Continually turn to Allah and ask for His assistance while working diligently to fortify your financial well-being. It may not be an immediate fix, but in time, and with unwavering faith in Allah, you will find solace from your mountain of debt.
The Role of Istighfār in Wealth and Provision
Istighfār (الاستغفار) — the act of seeking forgiveness from Allah ﷻ — is not only a path to spiritual purification but also a means of attracting blessings, including sustenance and financial ease. In Islam, provision (rizq) is a matter of divine decree, and our relationship with our Creator has a direct impact on the flow of that provision.
﴾فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارٗا • يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارٗا • وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٖ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّٰتٖ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَٰرٗا﴿
“So I said: Seek forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers, and give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.”
— Surah Nūḥ (71:10–12)
Quran.com – 71:10–12
This verse explicitly ties abundant provision to frequent Istighfār, promising rain (which symbolizes provision), increase in wealth (amwāl), children (banīn), and comfort in both physical and emotional aspects of life.
Hadith on Istighfār and Ease in Affairs
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Whoever constantly seeks forgiveness, Allah will provide for him a way out of every distress, a relief from every anxiety, and will grant him provision from sources he never imagined.”
📘 Sunan Abi Dawood (1518), Hasan
Hadith Link – Sunnah.com
This Hadith is a clear assurance that Istighfār removes barriers in life, including financial strain, and opens doors of unseen provision.
Why Istighfār Affects Wealth
The link between repentance and financial well-being lies in the following principles:
- Sins block blessings
Just as rain is withheld due to people’s sins, sustenance can also be restricted. Istighfār cleanses the heart, removing the spiritual blockages that repel blessings. - It earns Allah’s mercy
Sustenance is part of Allah’s rahmah (mercy). The more we seek His forgiveness, the more deserving we become of His mercy, which manifests in both worldly and spiritual ease. - It aligns you with tawakkul
Those who regularly seek forgiveness recognize Allah as the sole Controller of rizq. - This deepens tawakkul (reliance), which itself is a cause of increase:
﴾وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ﴿
“And whoever puts their trust in Allah – then He is sufficient for them.”
— Surah At-Talāq (65:3)
Quran.com – 65:3
Practical Way to Incorporate Istighfār for Rizq
Make it a regular part of your daily routine:
- After every salah, say: أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّهَ Astaghfirullāh — “I seek forgiveness from Allah”
- In solitude, say: رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ Rabbi ighfir lī wa tub ‘alayya, innaka anta at-Tawwābu ar-Raḥīm
“My Lord, forgive me and turn to me in mercy. Surely, You are the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.” - Recite the Sayyidul Istighfār, the master of all duʿāʾs for forgiveness (found in Sahih Bukhari 6306) daily, especially in the early morning and before sleeping.
Faith, Effort, and Hope in Allah ﷻ
While the pressure of debt may feel immense, remember that it is not a punishment — rather, it can be a test and a path to drawing nearer to Allah ﷻ. The Prophet ﷺ reminded us that no hardship remains without relief, and no struggle is overlooked by our Lord, Ar-Raḥmān, the Most Merciful.
Continue to recite these duʿāʾs with sincerity, especially in the times when duʿāʾ is most likely to be accepted — during the last third of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, and at sujūd. Combine this with financial discipline and practical accountability.
As Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an:
﴾وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجٗا • وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ﴿
“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect.”
— Surah At-Talāq (65:2–3)
Quran.com – 65:2-3
With tawakkul (reliance on Allah ﷻ), patience, and dua, know that your struggle will not go unrewarded — and your situation can be transformed by the permission of Allah ﷻ.
Wealth in Islam is not gained by greed, but by purification, contentment, and submission. Istighfār is not only a way to wipe away past sins, but it is a means of opening doors to rizq, sustaining families, and building a life of barakah (divine blessing). If you are struggling financially, begin by repairing the heart — and you will see how Allah ﷻ repairs your provision.
Read more: Dua For Wealth | 17 Powerful Supplications