Quran verses about anxiety

1. ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَئِنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨﴾

   Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely, it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find comfort.

   The best-known verse on inner calm says that hearts find rest and comfort in the remembrance of Allah.

2. لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرٗا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾

   Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. To its credit is what it earns, and against it is what it commits. “Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not burden us as You have burdened those before us. Our Lord, do not burden us with more than we have strength to bear; and pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord and Master, so help us against the disbelieving people.”

   The last verse of Surah Al-Baqarah begins by saying Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear, then teaches a prayer asking Him for ease, pardon and mercy.

3. أَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَكَ صَدۡرَكَ ﴿١﴾ وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنكَ وِزۡرَكَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنقَضَ ظَهۡرَكَ ﴿٣﴾ وَرَفَعۡنَا لَكَ ذِكۡرَكَ ﴿٤﴾

   ¹Did We not soothe your heart? ²And lift from you your burden. ³Which weighed down your back? ⁴And raised for you your reputation?

   Surah Ash-Sharh reminds the Prophet ﷺ that Allah eased his chest and lifted a burden that had weighed down his back.

4. فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرٗا ﴿٦﴾

   ⁵With hardship comes ease. ⁶With hardship comes ease.

   The same surah then says twice that ease comes with hardship.

5. مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ ﴿٣﴾ وَلَلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرࣱ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ﴿٤﴾ وَلَسَوۡفَ يُعۡطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرۡضَىٰٓ ﴿٥﴾

   ³Your Lord did not abandon you, nor did He forget. ⁴The Hereafter is better for you than the First. ⁵And your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied.

   Reported to have been revealed after a pause in revelation that troubled the Prophet ﷺ, these verses reassure him that his Lord has neither left him nor forgotten him.

6. إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدۡ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ إِذۡ هُمَا فِي ٱلۡغَارِ إِذۡ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحۡزَنۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَاۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٖ لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلسُّفۡلَىٰۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِيَ ٱلۡعُلۡيَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٤٠﴾

   If you do not help him, Allah has already helped him, when those who disbelieved expelled him, and he was the second of two in the cave. He said to his friend, “Do not worry, Allah is with us.” And Allah made His tranquility descend upon him, and supported him with forces you did not see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the Word of Allah is the Highest. Allah is Mighty and Wise.

   During the emigration to Medina, hiding in a cave, the Prophet ﷺ tells his companion not to worry because Allah is with them, and Allah sends down His tranquility.

7. قَالَا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفۡرُطَ عَلَيۡنَآ أَوۡ أَن يَطۡغَىٰ ﴿٤٥﴾ قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآۖ إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَآ أَسۡمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ ﴿٤٦﴾

   ⁴⁵They said, “Lord, we fear he may persecute us, or become violent.” ⁴⁶He said, “Do not fear, I am with you, I hear and I see.

   Moses (Musa) and Aaron (Harun) admit they are afraid to face Pharaoh, and Allah answers that they need not fear because He is with them, hearing and seeing.

8. وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَرۡضِعِيهِۖ فَإِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَأَلۡقِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحۡزَنِيٓۖ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيۡكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ﴿٧﴾

   We inspired the mother of Moses: “Nurse him; then, when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear, nor grieve; We will return him to you, and make him one of the messengers.”

   The mother of Moses, afraid for her baby, is told to place him in the river and not to fear or grieve, because Allah will return him to her.

9. فَإِذَا بَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمۡسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٖ وَأَشۡهِدُواْ ذَوَيۡ عَدۡلٖ مِّنكُمۡ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلشَّهَٰدَةَ لِلَّهِۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ مَخۡرَجٗا ﴿٢﴾ وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدۡرٗا ﴿٣﴾

   ²Once they have reached their term, either retain them honorably, or separate from them honorably. And call to witness two just people from among you, and give upright testimony for Allah. By that is exhorted whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever fears Allah—He will make a way out for him. ³And will provide for him from where he never expected. Whoever relies on Allah—He will suffice him. Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure to all things.

   In the middle of guidance about a painful family situation, Allah promises a way out for those mindful of Him and says that whoever relies on Him will find Him enough.

10. ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدۡ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱخۡشَوۡهُمۡ فَزَادَهُمۡ إِيمَٰنٗا وَقَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡوَكِيلُ ﴿١٧٣﴾

    Those to whom the people have said, “The people have mobilized against you, so fear them.” But this only increased them in faith, and they said, “Allah is enough for us; He is the Excellent Protector.”

    When believers were warned that a great force had gathered against them, their response was to say that Allah is enough for them.

11. مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرࣱ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيۡلَا تَأۡسَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَفۡرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالٖ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣﴾

    ²²No calamity occurs on earth, or in your souls, but it is in a Book, even before We make it happen. That is easy for Allah. ²³That you may not sorrow over what eludes you, nor exult over what He has given you. Allah does not love the proud snob.

    Every calamity is recorded in a Book before it happens, and these verses say this is so that people do not despair over what they miss or become arrogant over what they gain.

12. هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنٗا مَّعَ إِيمَٰنِهِمۡۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا ﴿٤﴾

    It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers, to add faith to their faith. To Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth. Allah is Knowing and Wise.

    Allah describes Himself as the one who sends tranquility into the hearts of believers so that their faith grows.

13. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَبۡشِرُواْ بِٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾

    Surely, those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” and then go straight, the angels will descend upon them: “Do not fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the news of the Garden which you were promised.

    For those who believe and stay upright, angels come with the message not to fear and not to grieve.

Worry tends to make the future feel very large and Allah feel far away. These verses reverse that. When anxiety rises, it can help to pick one of them, such as 13:28 or 2:286, read it slowly, and turn the worry into a short, honest prayer. The Quran never asks you to feel nothing, only to bring what you feel to Allah.