Prophetic Prayers for Relief and Protection

An eBook containing all of the prayers and supplications mentioned in this publication is available here.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Asking Allah for help is one of the best ways we can come closer to Him and express our vulnerability and need for Him. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Duʿāʾ is the essence of worship,” meaning that it is the ultimate expression of one’s humility and submissiveness. During times of hardship and suffering, it is even more important that we humbly beg Allah for His comfort and protection. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says:

فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَٰكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Translation: If only, when Our calamity came upon them, they humbled themselves. But their hearts hardened, and Shaytan made their deeds appear good to them.

The famous scholar of tafsīr, Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Qurṭubī (d. 671 AH), said, “This is (divine) reproach for abandoning supplication. It also draws awareness to the fact that they did not humble themselves when punishment came.” May Allah protect us from hard hearts and the delusion of Shayṭān!

The importance of supplication to Allah cannot be overstated. Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Duʿāʾ is one of the most beneficial remedies. It is the enemy of calamity; it repels it, cures it, prevents its occurrence, and alleviates it or reduces it if it befalls [one]. It is the weapon of the believer.” 

There are two kinds of supplications related to hardships, illnesses, and epidemics. We will begin with the first type, which are general supplications for protection from evil. Our goal is to build a habit of saying these prayers even after Allah ends the current pandemic by His Grace and Mercy. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are the most consistent, even if they are few.” We will then follow with supplications that are specific for relief and protection from illnesses.

In total there are sixteen (16) supplications in this small booklet. You might find many of them in other books of duʿāʾ and mobile apps. However, our goal is not simply that you learn how or when to say a duʿāʾ. We want you to understand the duʿāʾ. Duʿā is described as “the weapon of the believer,” but a weapon’s effectiveness coincides with the skill of the person using it. Duʿāʾ will benefit the believers most when they understand what they are praying for. Otherwise, we may be guilty of making empty prayers without our hearts being present. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah does not answer the prayer coming from a preoccupied heart.” Therefore, we will add a brief explanation after each duʿāʾ to help you better understand its context and meaning.