Anxiety & hardship
The du'a for a calamity (istirja')
When something painful strikes, a loss, a death, a setback, these are the words the Prophet ﷺ taught to say. He promised that whoever is afflicted and says them will be rewarded by Allah and given something better in its place. Umm Salamah said it when her husband died, and Allah replaced him with the Prophet ﷺ himself. It is recorded in Sahih Muslim.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا
Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, Allāhumma'jurnī fī muṣībatī wa akhlif lī khayran minhā
To Allah we belong and to Him we return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something better.
Authenticity: Sahih (authentic), reported by Muslim (918).
Download image to shareWhen to say it
When any affliction or loss befalls you, from a bereavement to a small everyday misfortune.
How often
Once at the moment the calamity strikes; repeat it whenever the grief returns.
Frequently asked
What is the promise attached to this du'a?
The Prophet ﷺ said that no servant is struck by a calamity and says this du'a except that Allah rewards them in their affliction and gives them something better in its place (Sahih Muslim 918).
Is it only for the death of a loved one?
No. The opening words, Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, are said for any affliction, large or small. The scholars note it suits every misfortune, even a minor everyday one, not only bereavement.