Dua for Sickness | 9 Healing Duas | Life, in all its beauty and complexity, often presents us with various trials and tribulations. Among these trials, falling ill can be one of the most difficult to endure. It is a time when physical strength wanes, daily routines are interrupted, and our emotional resilience is truly tested.
Yet, in such moments of weakness, our faith offers us a deep well of strength. As Muslims, we turn to Allah, the Supreme Healer, seeking His mercy and cure. Through sincere supplication—duʿāʾ—we connect to the One who holds the power to heal all ailments. The Qur’an and the Sunnah are rich with meaningful and heartfelt prayers for those facing illness, serving as spiritual remedies that bring peace to the heart and relief to the body.
This blog explores not only the power of duʿāʾ for healing but also the role of istighfār (seeking forgiveness) and ṣadaqah (charity) in drawing Allah’s mercy and easing hardship. We’ll reflect on timeless prayers from the Qur’an and Hadith, uncover their meanings, and understand how these acts of devotion can become sources of healing, hope, and closeness to Allah. Whether you are seeking strength during a personal trial or looking to support a loved one through theirs, may this journey offer you comfort, connection, and renewed faith.
Authentic Duaa for Sickness
From the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
Dua for Sickness 1 – Comprehensive Healing
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Transliteration:
Allāhumma Rabba-n-nāsi, adhhibi-l-baʾsa, ishfi anta ash-Shāfī, lā shifāʾa illā shifāʾuka, shifāʾan lā yughādiru saqaman.
Translation:
O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing—a healing that leaves behind no illness.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (5678), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2192)
Sahih al-Bukhari 5678 – Sunnah.com
Sahih Muslim 2192 – Sunnah.com
Explanation: A comprehensive duʿāʾ seeking both relief and full recovery, affirming that true healing comes only from Allah.
Dua 2 – For Pain or Physical Harm
أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
Transliteration:
Aʿūdhu bi-ʿizzatillāhi wa qudratihi min sharri mā ajidu wa uḥādhir.
Translation:
I seek refuge in the Might and Power of Allah from the evil of what I experience and fear.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2202)
Explanation: A protective supplication when experiencing pain, reminding us to turn to Allah’s might.
Dua 3 – Duʿāʾ of Distress (Duʿāʾ al-Karb)
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ، وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
Transliteration:
Lā ilāha illā Allāh al-ʿAẓīmu al-Ḥalīm, lā ilāha illā Allāh Rabbu al-ʿArshi al-ʿAẓīm, lā ilāha illā Allāh Rabbu as-samāwāti wa Rabbu al-arḍi wa Rabbu al-ʿArshi al-Karīm.
Translation:
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing. There is no deity but Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no deity but Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of the Noble Throne.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (6347)
Explanation: A duʿāʾ of affirmation and strength in moments of distress or illness.
Dua 4 – The Qur’an is Healing
قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ
Transliteration:
Qul huwa lilladhīna āmanū hudan wa shifāʾ.
Translation:
Say, “It is for those who believe, a guidance and a healing.” [Fussilat 41:44]
Explanation: This verse shows the Qur’an as a source of spiritual and emotional healing for believers.
Dua 5 – From the Words of Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhi as-salām)
وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ
Transliteration:
Wa idhā mariḍtu fahuwa yashfīn.
Translation:
And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. [Ash-Shuʿarāʾ 26:80]
Explanation: A verse that reflects tawakkul (reliance) on Allah as the only true source of healing.
Dua 6 – Words of Comfort for the Sick
لَا بَأْسَ، طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Transliteration:
Lā baʾsa, ṭahūrun in shāʾ Allāh.
Translation:
No harm; it is a purification, if Allah wills.
Source:
Sahih al-Bukhari 5653 – Sunnah.com
Sahih Muslim 924 – Sunnah.com
Explanation: The Prophet ﷺ would say this to the sick to give hope and remind them of the reward of patience.
Dua 7 – Repetition of Healing Supplication
أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، رَبَّ النَّاسِ، وَاشْفِ، أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Transliteration:
Adhhib al-baʾsa, Rabba-n-nāsi, washfi, anta ash-Shāfī, lā shifāʾa illā shifāʾuka, shifāʾan lā yughadiru saqaman.
Translation:
Remove the affliction, Lord of the people, and heal, for You are the Healer. There is no healing but Yours—a healing that leaves behind no sickness.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2191 – Sunnah.com
Explanation: This is a variant of Dua 1, showing the Prophet’s repeated emphasis on Allah’s healing.
Dua 8 – Seeking Holistic Protection
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي، وَدِينِي، وَدُنْيَايَ، وَآخِرَتِي
Transliteration:
Bismillāh ʿalā nafsī, wa dīnī, wa dunyāya, wa ākhiratī.
Translation:
In the name of Allah, I seek protection for my soul, my religion, my worldly life, and my Hereafter.
Source: Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī (3388) – Graded ḥasan
Explanation: A general duʿāʾ for total well-being, including health, faith, and eternal success.
Dua 9 – Supplication of the Prophet ﷺ When Visiting the Sick
أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ، رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ
Transliteration:
Asʾalu Allāha al-ʿAẓīma, Rabba al-ʿArshi al-ʿAẓīm, an yashfiyak.
Translation:
I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you.
Source:
Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2080) – Graded ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī
Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2080 – Sunnah.com
Explanation:
This duʿāʾ was taught by the Prophet ﷺ to say when visiting the sick, and it can be repeated seven times for greater reward, as mentioned in some narrations.
Certainly.ng its wisdom, practices, and healing methods from authentic sources.
Guidance on Sickness and Healing
Islam offers profound guidance for dealing with sickness and seeking healing, rooted in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the understanding of the righteous scholars. Below is a summary of the Islamic perspective on sickness:
1. Sickness as a Test and a Mercy
Wisdom from the Qur’an:
مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“No calamity befalls except by the permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah—He will guide his heart.”
Surah At-Taghābun 64:11
Hadith:
مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ… إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ
“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim… but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (5641), Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2573)
Explanation:
Sickness is a means of purification from sins and elevation in rank, not necessarily a punishment.
2. Patience and Gratitude During Illness
The Prophet ﷺ said:
عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ… إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
“Wondrous is the affair of the believer… If he is afflicted with hardship, he is patient, and that is better for him.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (2999)
Practice:
- Be patient (ṣabr) and avoid complaining to people.
- Make duʿāʾ, but also accept Allah’s will with contentment (riḍā).
3. Seeking Treatment (Tadāwī) – It’s Sunnah
Hadith:
تَدَاوَوْا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلَّا وَضَعَ لَهُ شِفَاءً
“Seek treatment, O servants of Allah, for Allah has not created a disease except that He also created its cure.”
— Sunan Abi Dawūd (3855), graded ṣaḥīḥ
Explanation:
Islam encourages medical treatment (medicine, therapy, surgery, etc.) along with tawakkul (trust in Allah).
4. Spiritual Healing: The Qur’an as Shifāʾ
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And We send down from the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for the believers.”
Surah al-Isrāʾ 17:82
Practice:
- Recite Qur’an, especially Surah al-Fātiḥah, Ayat al-Kursī, Surah al-Ikhlāṣ, al-Falaq, and an-Nās.
- Blow over yourself or your children after reciting, as the Prophet ﷺ did.
5. Ruqyah Sharʿiyyah (Legislated Spiritual Healing)
Ruqyah refers to reciting Qur’an and duʿāʾs for healing:
Authentic Methods Include:
- Reciting and blowing over the sick (as the Prophet ﷺ did)
- Surah al-Fātiḥah
- Surah al-Baqarah (especially Ayat al-Kursī and the last two verses)
- Morning and evening adhkār
Note: Avoid innovations and cultural practices not grounded in the Sunnah.
6. Visiting the Sick (ʿIyādat al-Marīḍ)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ عَادَ مَرِيضًا، نَادَى مُنَادٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ: طِبْتَ وَطَابَ مَمْشَاكَ، وَتَبَوَّأْتَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ مَنْزِلًا
“Whoever visits a sick person, a caller calls from the heavens: ‘May you be good, and may your walk be blessed, and may you dwell in a place in Paradise.’”
— Ibn Mājah (1443), graded ṣaḥīḥ
Practice:
- Visit the sick, make duʿāʾ for them, offer comfort and hope.
7. Duʿāʾs for Healing (as mentioned previously)
- Spiritual purification
- Earning Allah’s mercy
- Removing calamities, including illness and hardship
- Attracting barakah (blessing) in life and sustenance
Role of Ṣadaqah (Charity) – A Source of Healing and Protection
A. Qur’anic Evidence
إِنْ تُقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ
“If you lend to Allah a good loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you.”
Surah at-Taghābun 64:17
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
“And they give [others] preference over themselves, even though they are in need…”
Surah al-Ḥashr 59:9
B. Hadith Evidence
دَاوُوا مَرْضَاكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ
“Treat your sick with charity.”
— Reported by al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿab al-Īmān (3/382), authenticated by Shaykh al-Albānī (ṣaḥīḥ in meaning)
Explanation:
Giving ṣadaqah is not only a spiritual act—it is also a means of healing both physical and spiritual illnesses.
C. Other Benefits of Ṣadaqah:
- Extinguishes sins like water extinguishes fire (Tirmidhī 614)
- Protects from calamities and an evil death (Ḥadīth in Ṭabarānī)
- Increases sustenance and barakah (Qur’an 2:261)
Role of Istighfār (Seeking Forgiveness) – For Relief, Health, and Blessings
Istighfār (seeking forgiveness) brings spiritual and physical healing because it opens the doors of Allah’s mercy and removes the causes of hardship. When we repent sincerely, Allah replaces our difficulties with ease, our illnesses with cure, and our burdens with blessings.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَن لَزِمَ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ، جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا، وَمِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا، وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
“Whoever persists in asking Allah for forgiveness, Allah will relieve him from every worry, make a way out for him from every hardship, and provide for him from sources he never imagined.”
— Sunan Abī Dāwūd (1518), graded ḥasan
Qur’anic Passage (Surah Nūḥ 71:10–12)
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
Transliteration:
Faqultu istaghfirū rabbakum, innahu kāna ghaffārā.
Yursil is-samāʾa ʿalaykum midrārā.
Wa yumdidkum bi-amwālin wa banīn, wa yajʿal lakum jannātin wa yajʿal lakum anhārā.
Translation:
“So I said: ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is Ever-Forgiving.
He will send [rain] from the sky upon you in abundance,
And give you wealth and children,
And provide for you gardens and rivers.’”
Surah Nūḥ 71:10–12
This was the advice of Prophet Nūḥ (Noah, peace be upon him) to his people when they were suffering from drought, difficulty, and spiritual decline. He called them to istighfār as the solution to both spiritual and worldly problems.
“Ask forgiveness of your Lord” – استغفروا ربكم
- This is a call to recognize one’s sins and turn back to Allah sincerely.
- Istighfār is more than just saying “Astaghfirullah” — it involves repentance (tawbah), regret, and intention to stop the sin.
- It’s an act of humility and acknowledgment that all goodness comes from Allah.
“Indeed, He is Ever-Forgiving” – إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا
- Allah is constantly forgiving — the word غَفَّار (Ghaffār) is an intensive form of “forgiver”, meaning He forgives again and again, no matter how frequent or great the sin.
- This removes the despair of the sinner and invites hope.
“He will send [rain] in abundance” – يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا
- Rain in the Qur’an often symbolizes mercy, life, and sustenance.
- The people of Nūḥ were likely experiencing drought or economic hardship, and Nūḥ is telling them: Your external troubles are linked to internal disobedience.
- Istighfār unblocks Allah’s mercy from above—literally and spiritually.
“He will increase you in wealth and children” – وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
- Istighfār is a cause for barakah (blessing) in:
- Wealth (amwāl) – halal rizq, business, provision
- Children (banīn) – righteous offspring, fertility, family strength
- The scholars explain: sins may act as a barrier to rizq and family blessings, while istighfār opens the gates of sustenance.
“He will give you gardens and rivers” – وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
- A reference to luxurious provision in both this world and possibly Paradise.
- These are signs of:
- Ease and beauty in life
- Abundant, peaceful sustenance
- Reward in the Hereafter (as many Mufassirūn point out)
Role of Istighfar
- Ibn Kathīr mentions: this verse shows that istighfār brings both spiritual and material relief, and Allah lifts worldly hardships as a result of sincere repentance.
- Al-Qurtubī states: sins block provision; repentance unblocks it.
- Imām al-Ṭabarī emphasizes that this advice was meant to call the people to reform, because the hardships they faced were tied to their turning away from Allah.
Surah Nūḥ (71:10–12) teaches us that istighfār is not just about forgiveness of sins — it’s a powerful key that:
- Removes calamities
- Brings rain and livelihood
- Increases wealth and family blessings
- Opens doors to comfort and ease
This is why the Prophet ﷺ himself used to seek forgiveness over 70 to 100 times a day.
“Indeed, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (6307)
Related: Dua For Pain | 7 Duas For Healing
In times of sickness, our bodies may weaken, but our connection to Allah can grow stronger than ever. Through sincere duʿāʾ, consistent istighfār, and acts of ṣadaqah, we are reminded that healing is not only physical—it is spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. These prophetic practices are not merely rituals, but lifelines that guide us through difficulty with patience, hope, and trust in Allah’s mercy.
May these timeless words and actions serve as companions in your journey toward healing, and may Allah grant complete shifāʾ (cure) to all those in pain. Whatever the illness or hardship, remember that every moment of struggle is also an opportunity to draw closer to the One who heals all wounds and answers all calls.
Links for Reference
- Qur’an Verses – Quran.com
- Hadith on Ṣadaqah – Sunnah.com
- Hadith on Istighfar – Sunnah.com
- Dār al-Iftā Fatwa on Ṣadaqah as healing (Arabic)