When the heart feels overwhelmed, confused, or unsure what it even needs, Islam gives us duʿās that place the matter entirely in Allah’s hands. These supplications are especially meant for moments of uncertainty, emotional exhaustion, or spiritual fog. Below are authentic duʿās from the Qur’an and Sunnah, written word for word, with translations and sources.
Duʿās to Make When You Don’t Know What to Ask For
1. Asking for All Good and Protection From All Evil
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ، مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ، مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ
“O Allah, I ask You for all good, immediate and delayed, what I know of it and what I do not know. And I seek refuge in You from all evil, immediate and delayed, what I know of it and what I do not know.”
[Sahih Muslim 2721]
2. Asking Allah to Fix Everything When You Feel Lost
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye. Rectify all of my affairs. There is no deity except You.”
[Sunan Abi Dawud 5090 | Hasan]
3. Asking for Guidance Without Knowing the Path
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
“O Allah guide me among those You have guided, pardon me among those You have pardoned, befriend me among those You have befriended, bless me in what You have granted, and save me from the evil that You decreed. Indeed You decree, and none can pass decree, and none can pass decree upon You, indeed he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, blessed are You our Lord and Exalted.”
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 464 | Sahih]
(from Duʿāʾ al-Qunūt)
This duʿāʾ places your direction entirely in Allah’s guidance.
4. Asking for a Sound Heart
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلاَهَا اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
“O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity, from sloth, from cowardice, from miserliness, decrepitude and from torment of the grave. O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof. Thou art the Protecting Friend thereof, and Guardian thereof. O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from the knowledge which does not benefit, from the heart that does not entertain the fear (of Allah), from the soul that does not feel contented and the supplication that is not responded.”
[Sahih Muslim 2722]
A guided heart naturally asks for what is right.
5. Asking Allah to Inspire What Is Right
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
“O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion (Yā Muqallibal-qulūb, thabbit qalbī `alā dīnik).”
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3522 | Hasan]
This duʿāʾ is ideal when the nafs feels confusing or overwhelming.
6. Asking for Ease, Forgiveness, and Mercy Together
رَبَّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلْأَبْرَارِ
“Our Lord! Forgive our sins, absolve us of our misdeeds, and join us with the virtuous when we die.”
[Qur’an 3:193]
Forgiveness clears the heart so clarity can follow.
7. Asking Allah Not to Let the Heart Go Astray
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
“Our Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after you have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺.”
[Qur’an 3:8]
This is a duʿāʾ for stability when certainty feels fragile.
Not knowing what to ask for does not mean your duʿāʾ is weak. Often, it means your heart is ready for surrender rather than specifics. These duʿās teach you how to say, “O Allah, You know what I don’t.”
When the tongue is confused, let the Sunnah speak for you.
When the heart is unsure, let trust replace detail.
Allah understands even the duʿāʾ you cannot put into words.
