اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from distress and sorrow, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness, I seek refuge in You from cowardice and stinginess, and I seek refuge in You from being overcome by debt and from being dominated by men.
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazani, wa a'udhu bika minal-'ajzi wal-kasali, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayni wa qahrir-rijali.
When to Read
This powerful supplication is especially relevant when you feel overwhelmed by your studies, facing academic challenges, or experiencing burnout. Recite it during times of stress, before exams, after receiving disappointing results, or whenever you feel your motivation waning. It's a comprehensive plea for Allah's help against mental and emotional burdens that can impact your learning journey.
How to Read
Approach this dua with sincere intention and a humble heart. Raise your hands in supplication, as was the practice of our Prophet ﷺ. Focus on the meaning of each phrase, truly seeking Allah's protection. Utter it with conviction, believing that Allah is the ultimate reliever of hardship and the bestower of strength. It can be recited at any time, but particularly after the obligatory prayers.
Virtues & Benefits
This hadith outlines four key areas of seeking Allah's refuge, all of which are crucial for academic resilience: 1. **Distress and Sorrow (Al-Hammi wal-Hazani):** Academic setbacks can easily lead to these. By seeking refuge, we ask Allah to protect our hearts from the crushing weight of disappointment and despair. 2. **Incapacity and Laziness (Al-'Ajzi wal-Kasali):** Burnout often manifests as a feeling of inability to continue or a strong urge to procrastinate. This dua asks for the energy and drive needed to overcome inertia. 3. **Cowardice and Stinginess (Al-Jubni wal-Bukhli):** In an academic context, cowardice might mean fearing to ask questions or to tackle difficult subjects, while stinginess could be a reluctance to share knowledge or effort. This seeking of refuge helps foster boldness and generosity in learning. 4. **Overcome by Debt and Dominated by Men (Ghalabatid-Dayni wa Qahrir-Rijali):** While seemingly unrelated, these can be viewed metaphorically in an academic setting. 'Debt' could represent feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge or unfinished tasks, and 'being dominated' could be the pressure of expectations or the feeling of being unable to assert one's academic voice. This dua asks for liberation from such overwhelming pressures.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet ﷺ used to invoke Allah saying: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazani, wa a'udhu bika minal-'ajzi wal-kasali, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayni wa qahrir-rijali.' (Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from distress and sorrow, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness, I seek refuge in You from cowardice and stinginess, and I seek refuge in You from being overcome by debt and from being dominated by men.) Sahih al-Bukhari 4403.