Allahumma Rahmataka Arju: The Prophet Dua for Distress and Anxiety

Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullah, la ilaha illa ant is the dua the Prophet ﷺ taught his companions to recite in moments of distress, anxiety, and overwhelming worry. The believer admits one truth — being left even for the blink of an eye to one’s own management is a guarantee of failure — and asks Allah, the only One whose mercy is the source of every good outcome, to handle every affair on their behalf.

This guide gives the dua in Arabic, transliteration, and English meaning, then walks through the hadith source, the four parts of the dua one by one, when to recite it, and the most common questions about the prophetic du’a for distress.

Allahumma Rahmataka Arju in Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullah, la ilaha illa ant

“O Allah, it is Your mercy I hope for. Do not leave me to myself for even the blink of an eye. Set right for me all my affairs. There is no god but You.”

Hadith: The Prophet’s ﷺ Dua of Distress

Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“The supplication of the one in distress is: Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullah, la ilaha illa ant.”

Sunan Abi Dawud 5090, Musnad Imam Ahmad 20425 — sahih

The hadith is also reported by Imam an-Nasa’i in ‘Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim in Madarij as-Salikin writes that this dua combines the highest forms of tawhid: hope only in Allah’s mercy, total dependence on His support, and recognition that the believer cannot even survive the blink of an eye on their own.

The Four Parts of the Dua

1. “Allahumma rahmataka arju” — “O Allah, it is Your mercy I hope for.” The believer states the only thing they hope in. Not their own deeds, not their plans, not other people. Allah’s rahmah alone.
2. “Fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn” — “Do not leave me to myself for even the blink of an eye.” This is the heart of the du’a. Tarfat ‘ayn is the Arabic idiom for the briefest possible moment. The believer admits: even one heartbeat without Allah’s care is a heartbeat of ruin.
3. “Wa aslih li sha’ni kullah” — “And set right for me all my affairs.” A blanket request: every concern of life, work, family, health, future, deen — handed to Allah at once.
4. “La ilaha illa ant” — “There is no god but You.” The dua closes with the testimony of Tawhid, anchoring the request in the most foundational truth of Islam — that there is no other to ask, no other to depend on, no other to turn to.

When to Recite Allahumma Rahmataka Arju

• In moments of acute distress — sudden bad news, panic, grief. The Prophet ﷺ explicitly tied this dua to the state of distress.
• Before sleep. Many scholars include it in the night adhkar. You hand the night and the soul over to Allah while you sleep.
• In sujud during prayer. “The closest a slave is to his Lord is when he is in prostration” (Sahih Muslim 482). Whisper it in your sajdah.
• In the last third of the night. Allah descends to the lowest heaven asking who is calling Him so He may answer (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145).
• Before any major decision or test. Whenever you feel the weight of a matter is heavier than your own ability — exam, surgery, court, marriage, hijrah — let this be your prayer.

Other Prophetic Duas of Distress

• The dua of Yunus from inside the whale: La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimeen — Surah Al-Anbya 21:87. The Prophet ﷺ said no Muslim ever recites it for any matter except Allah answers them (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3505).
• Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal-wakeel — “Allah is sufficient for us, and what an excellent Disposer of affairs” (Surah Aal Imran 3:173). The Prophet Ibrahim said it when thrown into the fire (Sahih al-Bukhari 4563).
• Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan… — “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief…” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6369), the Prophet’s ﷺ dua against anxiety.
• The Prophet’s ﷺ dua at Uhud when overwhelmed: Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum, birahmatika astagheeth — “O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, by Your mercy I seek help” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3524 — hasan).

Memorise this dua, lock it into your sujud and your night routine, and let the four short phrases anchor your heart — hope only in Allah, dependence only on Allah, surrender of every affair to Allah, and the testimony that there is no god but Him.