18. Protection from anxiety, sorrow, helplessness, laziness, & debt

O Allāh! I seek Your protection from anxiety and sorrow, and I seek Your protection from helplessness and laziness, and I seek Your protection from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek Your protection from the burden of debts and the tyranny of men.

Allāhumma inni a'udhu bika min alhammi walhuzn, wa a'udhu bika min al'ajzi wal kasal, wa a'udhu bika min aljubni wal bukhl, wa a'udhu bika min ghalabati al-deeni wa qahr al-rijal.

Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (ra) narrated that one day the Messenger of Allah (sas) entered the mosque and found a man from the Ansar, named Abu Umamah. He said: “Oh Abu Umamah! Why do I see you sitting in the mosque outside the time of prayer?” Abu Umamah replied: “Anxieties and debts have remained with me.” The Messenger of Allah (sas) asked: “Should I not teach you words, which if you say Allah will remove your anxiety and will settle your debt?” He replied: “Definitely, Oh Messenger of Allah!” He (sas) said: “Say when you wake up in the morning and when you reach the evening: [this dua].” Abu Umamah said (later): “I did (as the Messenger of Allah (sas) said) and Allah removed my anxiety and settled my debt.”

Related by Abu Dawud