Islamic practices for hard times

“Allah asketh naught of any soul save that which He hath given it. Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease.” (Quran 65:7, Pickthall)

This verse links two ideas: you are only asked for what you have been given, and ease will follow hardship. Both can be held on days when it feels like nothing will change.

In Surah ad-Duha, Allah reassures the Prophet ﷺ: “Thy Lord hath not forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee, And verily the latter portion will be better for thee than the former.” (Quran 93:3–4, Pickthall)

These words of comfort were addressed to the Prophet ﷺ himself. It is okay for you to need comfort too. Many people read this surah when they feel low, forgotten or unsure of the future.

Each evening

1. Sit quietly for a minute and take a few slow breaths.
2. Think back over the day, even if it was hard.
3. Name one moment of ease, however small.
4. Say “Alhamdulillah” for it.
5. If you like, write it in your “My shukr journal” worksheet.

This does not deny the hard parts. It trains your attention to also see the good, which can make the heavy parts feel a little lighter.

Many people read Quran 2:286 as a promise that they have the strength to get through what they face. It can also be read as permission: you are only asked for what is within your scope. On a day when your scope is small, doing a small thing is enough.

This verse is not a reason to carry everything alone. Part of your “scope” is the help around you: family, friends, your masjid, doctors and counselors. Using that help is part of how you carry the load.

The verse ends with a dua many Muslims recite every night: “Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector.” (Quran 2:286, Pickthall)

It is a model of honest prayer. It names our limits, admits we can forget or make mistakes, and asks for help. You can recite it in Arabic, read the meaning in your own language, or both.

“Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you.” (Quran 2:185, Pickthall)

“Allah would make the burden light for you, for man was created weak.” (Quran 4:28, Pickthall)

These verses show kindness toward human weakness. Being tired, overwhelmed or fragile is part of how we were made. It is not something to be ashamed of.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 39)

He also said that “the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464)

When you are struggling, it can help to shrink your goals. A few minutes of Quran each day, kept up, is worth more than a big plan you cannot keep. The same is true for self-care: a short daily walk beats an exhausting routine you give up on.

Try it for 3–5 minutes

1. Sit comfortably. Let your shoulders drop.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose.
3. As you breathe out, say softly “SubhanAllah” (Glory be to Allah).
4. Repeat with “Alhamdulillah” (All praise is for Allah), then “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest).
5. If your mind wanders, gently come back to the words. That coming back is the practice.

Slow breathing helps calm the body’s stress response, and the familiar words give your mind something steady to hold onto. See the Breathing basics guide for more ways to slow your breath.

Ideas

• Say “Bismillah” before small tasks to begin with intention
• Do dhikr on a walk outside, noticing Allah’s creation around you
• Listen to a favorite recitation while doing chores or commuting
• Keep a tasbih in your pocket as a gentle reminder
• Read a few verses with their meaning before sleep

Remembrance does not need special time set aside. Weaving it through your day can give you many small pauses to breathe and reset.

When you feel depressed or numb, it is common for worship to feel flat. This does not mean you are doing it wrong or that your faith is gone. Low mood can dull many feelings, including spiritual ones.

Gentle ideas

• Keep it very short: even a few phrases count
• Listen instead of reciting, if speaking feels hard
• Do dhikr with someone else, at home or in the masjid
• Talk to a counselor or therapist if numbness lasts more than two weeks

The Prophet ﷺ used to say: “O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6369)

It is striking that worry and grief are the first things named. The Prophet ﷺ treated them as real burdens worth asking for help with. You can say this dua in Arabic or in your own language, morning and evening, or whenever worry rises.

After losing his son Yusuf for many years, the Prophet Yaqub said: “I expose my distress and anguish only unto Allah.” (Quran 12:86, Pickthall)

Yaqub did not hide his sadness. He brought it openly to Allah. His example shows that bringing your pain to Allah, honestly and in full, is part of faith.

Before facing a frightening task, the Prophet Musa prayed: “My Lord! relieve my mind And ease my task for me.” (Quran 20:25–26, Pickthall)

This is a great dua before exams, job interviews, hard conversations or a first therapy appointment. Even a prophet felt nervous and asked for help.

In long illness and loss, Ayyub prayed: “Lo! adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show mercy.” (Quran 21:83, Pickthall)

From the darkness inside the whale, Yunus cried out: “There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (Quran 21:87, Pickthall)

Both prophets prayed from very dark places. Their duas are short and honest. They name the pain, and they turn toward Allah’s mercy.

Try this

1. Begin by praising Allah in any words you like.
2. Send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, if you wish.
3. Tell Allah honestly how you feel right now.
4. Ask for what you need: calm, strength, guidance, healing, the right people.
5. Ask for good for someone else too.
6. End with “Ameen” and a few slow breaths.

Saying your worries out loud, or writing them down, can also help you understand them better. Some people keep a “dua journal” and later notice how things changed.

“Our Lord! Give unto us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and guard us from the doom of Fire.” (Quran 2:201, Pickthall)

This dua shows that it is good to ask Allah for a good life here: health, peace of mind, kind relationships, useful work. Wanting a better future is not worldly greed. It is part of the dua the Quran teaches.

What “good in this world” might mean for you

• Calm and steady sleep
• Healing for your mind and body
• A kind, safe home
• Friends who lift you up
• Work or study that has meaning

After fleeing Egypt alone, with no home or work, Musa helped two women water their flock. “Then he turned aside into the shade, and said: My Lord! I am needy of whatever good Thou sendest down for me.” (Quran 28:24, Pickthall)

Musa did not know what his future held. He simply told Allah he needed good, and left the details to Him. In the verses that follow, his life changed: he found safety, work and a family. This is a beautiful dua for times of uncertainty.

Jabir said the Prophet ﷺ “used to teach us the Istikhara for each and every matter as he used to teach us the Suras from the Holy Qur’an.” A person who intends to do something prays two rak’at and then makes the istikhara dua, asking Allah to decree the matter for them if it is good for their religion and life, to turn it away if it is bad for them, and to decree good for them wherever it is. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6382)

Istikhara can bring peace to an anxious, indecisive mind. You do your research, ask people you trust (Quran 3:159), pray istikhara, and then move forward trusting Allah with the result.

The Prophet ﷺ said that every night, when the last third of the night remains, our Lord comes down to the nearest heaven, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145)

If you are awake in the night with worry, this hadith can turn sleepless hours into a time of closeness: you are being invited to ask. Many Muslims set an alarm before Fajr to make dua for their future.

A dua-and-plan practice

1. Picture one part of your life you hope will be better.
2. Make dua for it in your own words, or with Quran 2:201 or 28:24.
3. Ask for guidance, and pray istikhara if a decision is involved.
4. Choose one small step you can take this week.
5. Hand the outcome to Allah with tawakkul.

Wudu asks you to slow down and pay attention: the water on your hands, face and feet, one step after another. Many people find that doing it slowly, with intention, helps them leave the stress of the moment behind before prayer.

Salah moves the whole body through standing, bowing (ruku), prostration (sujud) and sitting. Each position has its own words and its own pause. Many people describe sujud, with the forehead on the ground, as the moment they feel closest to Allah and most able to let go.

Taking your time in each position, rather than rushing, can make prayer feel calmer and more connected. In sujud you can also make personal dua.

When you are depressed, exhausted or anxious, even getting up to pray can feel like a mountain. Many people feel guilt on top of the struggle. Remember that Allah knows your state and does not task a soul beyond its scope (Quran 2:286).

Gentle ideas

• Focus on one prayer at a time, not the whole day
• Pray with a family member or at the masjid for support
• Ask a trusted, kind imam about the ease Islam gives when you are unwell
• Talk to a counselor if guilt about prayer is weighing on you

Praying in jama’ah, at the masjid or at home with family, means standing shoulder to shoulder with others. For people who feel isolated, regular congregational prayer can be a gentle way back into community, without needing to talk much.

Jumu’ah each Friday can also be a weekly point of connection. Saying salaam to one person after prayer is a small, brave step.

“O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Lo! Allah is with the steadfast.” (Quran 2:153, Pickthall)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” He also said that whoever tries to be patient, Allah will make them patient. (Sahih al-Bukhari 1469)

Sabr is sometimes misunderstood as “keep quiet and don’t complain.” But the Quran pairs patience with seeking help. Sabr means holding steady, not giving up hope, and continuing to do what you can. It sits comfortably alongside crying, talking about your pain, and getting support.

Sabr can look like

• Getting out of bed and doing one small thing
• Going to therapy appointments even when it is hard
• Choosing not to act on an angry impulse
• Waiting kindly while healing takes time

“If ye give thanks, I will give you more.” (Quran 14:7, Pickthall)

Shukr is more than saying “thank you”. It is noticing what is good, recognising it as a gift, and using it well. Many people find that a regular gratitude practice helps them notice good moments they would otherwise miss.

Simple shukr habits

• Write down three blessings before bed
• Say “Alhamdulillah” out loud when you notice something good
• Thank a person who helped you this week
• Share food or time with someone, as a way of passing blessings on

The Prophet ﷺ said that no fatigue, disease, sorrow, sadness, hurt or distress reaches a Muslim, “even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn,” except that Allah expiates some of their sins through it. (Sahih al-Bukhari 5641)

For many Muslims this hadith brings comfort: the sorrow you feel is seen by Allah and is not meaningless. It does not mean you should seek out suffering or refuse help. It means that while you are going through it, and while you take steps to heal, your struggle still counts.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1302)

When bad news hits, the first moments can feel overwhelming. Having a plan for those moments can help: a short dua, a few slow breaths, and a person you can call.

Many Muslims say “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” when a loss happens. The Quran describes the patient as those “Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah’s and lo! unto Him we are returning.” (Quran 2:156, Pickthall)

The Quran says that people who are sick or traveling may fast the same number of days at another time, and describes a ransom of feeding a person in need for those who cannot fast. It then says: “Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you.” (Quran 2:185, Pickthall)

Muslim doctors explain that people with health conditions may be religiously exempt from daily fasting when their health and safety are at risk. Making up missed days later is common, and fidyah is a charitable gift given for each missed day.

Dr. Rania Awaad, a Stanford psychiatrist, says serious mental health conditions are part of these exemptions. Mental health is not treated differently from physical health.

Doctors advise that anyone with an ongoing health condition be assessed one by one to see whether fasting is safe. People at higher risk are often advised to try practice fasts before Ramadan, or not to fast.

Options people talk through

• Fasting on some days, with rest days in between
• Fasting on shorter winter days instead
• Giving fidyah if fasting is not possible
• Making up missed fasts later in the year

Ramadan changes when you eat, sleep and pray. Doctors note that people whose mood is sensitive to changes in sleep and routine need extra care during this month.

Gentle ideas

• Ask your clinical provider before Ramadan how to protect your sleep
• Keep a short rest in the day if you can
• Pick the extra worship that fits your energy, not everyone else’s
• Tell someone you trust if your mood starts to slip

Feeling left out can hurt, especially when everyone around you is fasting. Ramadan is about much more than food. You can still draw close to Allah in many ways.

Ways to take part

• Give charity or help feed others
• Join family for iftar and the gatherings after
• Make dua at suhoor time and in the last nights
• Read or listen to Quran with the meaning
• Say “Alhamdulillah” for the ease Allah has given you

Muslims spend Ramadan close to family, friends and community, and Eid al-Fitr is a community-wide celebration. For people who are isolated, unwell or in hospital, this can make the month feel even harder.

How to help

• Bring an iftar plate to someone who lives alone
• Check on people who are not fasting, without asking why
• Invite a new Muslim, a student or a widow to break the fast with you
• Visit or call someone in hospital during Eid

When the Prophet’s ﷺ baby son Ibrahim was dying, the Prophet ﷺ held him and his eyes filled with tears. A companion was surprised to see him weep. He replied that this was mercy, and said: “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1303)

In one moment, the Prophet ﷺ showed both deep grief and deep faith. He did not hide his tears, and he called them mercy. Crying over loss is part of being a loving human being.

The Quran tells how Yaqub grieved for his son Yusuf for many years. He brought his “distress and anguish” to Allah (Quran 12:86) and never gave up hope. His story shows that long sadness can live alongside strong faith.

The prophets felt fear, grief, loneliness and worry. They brought these feelings to Allah and to the people around them. You can do the same.

It is okay to

• Cry
• Say “I’m not okay” to someone you trust
• Feel angry or confused for a while after a loss
• Ask for help with feelings that won’t lift

When someone dies, the family may be too tired and heartbroken to cook, sleep or answer calls. Quiet, practical help often means more than the right words.

Ways to help

• Bring food, and offer to come back another day
• Keep checking in after the first weeks, when visits slow down
• Make dua for the person who died and for the family
• Sit with them and listen, without rushing them to “be patient”

Of the creation of the first human, Allah says He “breathed into him of My Spirit.” (Quran 15:29, Pickthall) And: “of His signs is this: He sendeth herald winds to make you taste His mercy… and that haply ye may be thankful.” (Quran 30:46, Pickthall)

Every breath is a gift. Slow breathing is also a powerful calming tool. Cleveland Clinic suggests breathing in for four seconds and out for six: a longer out-breath signals to your body that you are not in danger. It also suggests humming or chanting with long tones, much like gentle dhikr or recitation.

A breath of shukr

1. Step outside or open a window and feel the air.
2. Breathe in slowly for four counts.
3. Breathe out for six counts, saying “Alhamdulillah” in your heart.
4. Repeat five times, thinking of the winds as Allah’s mercy.

Allah says: “we made every living thing of water.” (Quran 21:30, Pickthall) He also describes sending rain “that thereby He might purify you, and remove from you the fear of Satan, and make strong your hearts and firm (your) feet thereby.” (Quran 8:11, Pickthall)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.” (Sahih Muslim 245) Wudu is a spiritual renewal and a physical one: cool water on the face, hands and feet. Cleveland Clinic lists splashing cold water on your face as a simple way to help settle your nervous system.

When it rained, the Prophet ﷺ once uncovered part of his body so the rain could fall on it, explaining that the rain “has just come from the Exalted Lord.” (Sahih Muslim 898) Research adds that time near the sea, lakes and rivers is linked with better mental wellbeing.

Ways to use water to cope

• When overwhelmed, make wudu slowly, or simply splash cool water on your face.
• Walk by the sea, a lake or a river and reflect on Allah’s signs.
• Step into gentle rain for a moment, as the Prophet ﷺ did, and thank Allah for it.
• Listen to the sound of waves or rain while making dhikr.

“Have they not seen the birds above them spreading out their wings and closing them? Naught upholdeth them save the Beneficent.” (Quran 67:19, Pickthall)

“Hast thou not seen that Allah, He it is Whom all who are in the heavens and the earth praise, and the birds in their flight? Of each He knoweth verily the worship and the praise…” (Quran 24:41, Pickthall)

When you hear birds at Fajr, you can think of them praising Allah alongside you. Research adds that seeing or hearing birds is linked with better wellbeing that lasts beyond the moment, including for people with depression.

Ideas

• After Fajr, sit by a window and listen to the birds for a few minutes of dhikr.
• Put out water for birds in hot weather, as an act of kindness to Allah’s creatures.
• Watch birds in flight and remember Who holds them up, and holds you.

“And the hills, how they are set up?” (Quran 88:19, Pickthall) And: “Have We not made the earth an expanse, And the high hills bulwarks?” (Quran 78:6–7, Pickthall)

Standing before mountains, many people feel small in a good way, and feel the greatness of Allah. Researchers call this the “small self”: in one study, tourists facing the cliffs of Yosemite drew themselves nearly a third smaller than tourists in a busy city. Feeling small next to something vast can put worries in perspective.

“He it is Who sendeth down water from the sky, and therewith We bring forth buds of every kind… Look upon the fruit thereof, when they bear fruit, and upon its ripening. Lo! herein verily are portents for a people who believe.” (Quran 6:99, Pickthall)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2320)

Gardening is good for the mind too: a 2017 analysis of 22 studies linked it with less depression and anxiety, and more life satisfaction and sense of community.

Ideas

• Plant a tree, herbs or flowers as sadaqah jariyah, ongoing charity.
• Help with the masjid garden or a community garden.
• Look at a ripening fruit or a new bud and reflect on Quran 6:99.

U.S. crisis lines

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
• Emergency: call 911 if a life is in danger

You can contact these lines for yourself or for someone you are worried about. You do not have to be sure it is an emergency.

Khalil Center offers counseling that brings together Islamic principles and professional psychology. The Institute for Muslim Mental Health links to a directory of Muslim mental health providers.

Where to look

• khalilcenter.com
• muslimmentalhealth.com
• muslimtherapist.directory

Find A Helpline (findahelpline.com) is a free directory of checked crisis lines in many countries. You can search by country and by what you need, then call, text or chat.