Dua for Healing the Sick

Explanation
This is the dua recited during illness, either by the sick person themselves or by those at their side. It consists of two parts: the first is a plea for healing, the second is seeking refuge in Allah from the pain one feels and from what one fears.
Dua Text
اَللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، اِشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
Transliteration
Allahumma Rabban-nas, adhhibil-ba’s, ishfi antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uk, shifa’an la yughadiru saqama. Bismillahi a’udhu bi-‘izzatillahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhir.
Meaning
O Allah, Lord of mankind! Remove this illness and grant healing. You alone are the Healer; there is no healing but Your healing. Grant a healing that leaves no sickness behind. In the name of Allah; I seek refuge in the might and power of Allah from the evil of what I feel and what I fear.
What Is Asked in This Dua
In this dua, the servant calls upon Allah as “the Lord of mankind,” remembering that He is the Owner and Nurturer of all humanity, and asks for the illness to be removed. The dua openly declares that Allah is the only source of healing: He alone heals, and there is no true healing other than His. Moreover, the healing asked for is not a temporary recovery but a complete one that leaves no trace of illness behind.
In the second part of the dua, the servant mentions the name of Allah and seeks refuge in His might and power from the pain they feel and the things they fear. In this way, the sick person entrusts to Allah both the pain in their body and the worry the illness brings; they seek the cure not in the means, but in the One who created the means.
When and How to Recite
The Dua for Healing the Sick is recited during illness by the sick person or by those at their side. The source book narrates that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited it when visiting the sick, and recommends reciting it while placing one’s hand on the place of pain.
No specific time or number is mentioned; it can be recited whenever it is needed. Being in a state of wudu is preferable, and it is good to recite it sincerely while reflecting on its meaning. Those who find the Arabic difficult may also make the dua using its meaning in their own language.
Virtue
It is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited it when he visited the sick. It is recommended to recite it while placing one’s hand on the place where the pain is felt.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the dua for healing the sick recited?
It is recited during illness, by the sick person or by those visiting them; there is no set time, and it can be recited whenever it is needed.
How is the dua for healing recited, and how many times?
The source book does not mention a specific number; it is recommended to recite it while placing a hand on the place where the pain is felt.
What is the source of the dua for healing the sick?
It is a dua found in Bukhari and Muslim, narrated as having been recited by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when he visited the sick; it is also included in the Majmu’at al-Ahzab.
Source
Bukhari, Marda 20; Muslim, Salam 46-47. Majmu'at al-Ahzab, vol. 1, pp. 582-583.
The text on this page was prepared by Dua Kitaplığı based on the work cited above. The Arabic text has been transcribed from the original with its vowel marks, and the transliteration in Latin letters and the English meaning are given separately. No virtue or number that does not appear in the source is added to this page. How do we prepare our content?
Published: 12 August 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026
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