Dua for Debt: 2 Authentic Duas and 5 Hadith on Debt

Debt can sit on the heart day and night. If you are looking for a dua for debt, the Sunnah gives us two, both authentic, along with clear guidance on borrowing, repaying and forgiving. Here are 2 duas and 5 hadith on debt, each checked on Sunnah.com.

This article shares what the hadith say. It gives no rulings on loans, cards or any financial product, and it is not financial advice. If debt is weighing on you, it is fine to get help from a financial counsellor as well as making dua, and to ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.

1. The dua for debt in Sahih al-Bukhari

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to say:

This is the dua many people know as the dua for debt and anxiety, because worry, grief and heavy debt sit side by side in the same breath. The explanation of a closely related narration on HadeethEnc (5914) describes heavy debt as a stressful state in which the person feels helpless, a kind of defeat, while being overpowered by men is the same defeat without any right.

Try this: say this dua in the morning and evening, slowly, and let each pair of words remind you what you are asking Allah to protect you from.

2. A dua for debt as big as a mountain

Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked for help by a man who could not pay what he owed for his freedom. Ali said he would teach him words the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had taught him, and that even with a debt as large as the mountain of Sir, Allah would settle it for him. Then he said: “Say:”

The words ask for two things: to be content with what is halal so that we never reach for what is haram, and to need no one but Allah. The explanation on HadeethEnc (5884) says that even a debt as great as a mountain would be paid off by Allah, freeing the person from its humiliation. We have added “by Your bounty” to the English, as the Arabic has this word.

Try this: learn this short dua by heart today. It is only a few words, and you can say it whenever a bill or a payment worries you.

3. Why he sought refuge from debt in salah

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:

Debt is not only about money. The Prophet ﷺ pointed to what it can do to our character: excuses that turn into lies, and dates that turn into broken promises. That is why he asked for protection from it inside his prayer.

Try this: if you cannot pay on time, tell the lender honestly before the date, instead of giving a promise you know you cannot keep.

4. Borrow with the intention to repay

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

This hadith about debt is full of hope for the honest borrower. The intention at the start matters: the one who borrows meaning to pay it back has Allah’s help with it, and the one who borrows meaning to waste it has a warning.

Try this: before you borrow anything, even a small amount from a friend, make a clear intention to repay and decide when.

5. The soul is held by its debt

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

Debt does not end at death. It stays until it is paid, so it is one of the first things families take care of from what a person leaves behind. A short, simple record of what we owe makes this much easier for the people we love.

Try this: keep a written note of your debts and where to find it, and tell one trusted family member.

6. Even the martyr is not forgiven debt

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Few deeds are greater than giving one’s life for Allah, yet a debt still remains. It is owed to a person, and that person’s right is not wiped away. This shows how seriously the Sunnah treats what we owe to others.

Try this: look for one small debt you can settle this week, even a borrowed book or a promised amount to a friend.

7. The merchant who let his debtors off

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

The other side of debt is the lender. The explanation on HadeethEnc (3753) says this could mean giving the debtor more time, not pressing him, or accepting less than the full amount, all hoping that Allah would overlook his own sins.

Try this: if someone owes you and is struggling, give them more time, or let some of it go, with the intention that Allah forgives you.

Bringing it together: the hadith about debt and the Quran

The Quran gives the same mercy to the lender in one verse:

Put together, the hadith about debt draw a balanced picture. The borrower is warned: debt is serious enough to follow a person past death. But he is also given hope: two duas, and Allah’s help for the one who means to repay. The lender is given a way to earn forgiveness by being gentle.

Reflection: I notice that neither dua asks for more money. One asks for protection from worry, laziness and the weight of debt; the other asks for contentment with the halal and freedom from needing people. Perhaps the relief starts in the heart before it reaches the bank balance.

Questions people ask

Key lessons

• Say the dua from Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 for worry, grief and heavy debt.
• Learn the short dua from Tirmidhi 3563 and say it when money worries you.
• Borrow only with a sincere intention to repay, and keep your word on dates.
• Write your debts down and tell someone you trust where to find the record.
• If someone owes you and is struggling, give them time or let some of it go.

Part of our Dua series: see all our dua articles in one place.

May Allah settle the debts of everyone reading this, free our hearts from worry, and make us content with what is halal.

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