Dua for Pain

What Is the Dua for Pain?

The dua for pain is the one method the Prophet ﷺ taught by name for physical pain, anywhere in the body: place your hand directly on the site of the pain, say "Bismillah" three times, then say "A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru" seven times — "I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear."

The hadith behind it is a personal one. Uthman ibn Abi al-'As (RA) came to the Prophet ﷺ complaining of a pain he had felt in his body ever since he became Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ gave him this exact method in response — and Uthman later said the pain left him, and that he never stopped teaching it to his own family afterwards.

It's this personal, hand-on-the-pain quality that sets it apart from the other duas on this page. It's said by the person in pain, about their own pain, with their own hand marking the spot — which is also why it's worth learning properly rather than half-remembering.

Is It Authentic?

Yes — about as firmly as a hadith can be. This dua is recorded in Sahih Muslim itself (2202, Book 39, Hadith 91), narrated on the authority of Uthman ibn Abi al-'As. Being found directly in Sahih Muslim's own text gives it one of the strongest gradings available in hadith science.

A slightly different wording of the same dua — "A'udhu bi'izzatillahi wa qudratihi" ("I seek refuge in Allah's might and His power") — is recorded separately in Sunan Ibn Majah (3522), through a different chain of narrators. It's worth knowing this variant exists if you come across it, but Sahih Muslim 2202 is the primary, most firmly established version, and it's the one to memorise.

Arabic Text, Transliteration & Meaning

Here's the dua broken down piece by piece, for anyone who wants to understand it, not just repeat it.

Bismillah (×3) — A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru (×7)

Pronunciation tip: the "dh" in "uhadhiru" is the Arabic ذ (dhal) — a soft, buzzing "th" as in the English "this," not the harder "th" of "thin." The "q" in "qudratihi" is a deep, back-of-the-throat sound (ق, qaf) — heavier than an English "k."

How to Say It, Step by Step

The Pain Dua vs. the General Healing Dua

These two get mixed up constantly, so it's worth being precise: they're both authentic, both about physical suffering, but they're two separate hadith with two separate wordings — complementary, not interchangeable.

Both are true, both are worth knowing — just reach for the right one for the situation you're in.

What the Qur'an Says About Healing

The Qur'an describes itself as a source of healing, and a handful of verses are recited by Muslims specifically for comfort during illness and pain.

Chest Pain & Toothache

"Chest pain" covers two genuinely different things, and getting the split right matters more than getting the Arabic right.

Toothache

There's no separate hadith written specifically for tooth pain — it's the same general pain dua, said with your hand on your jaw or cheek near the affected tooth. Some pages add extra steps, like massaging in circular motions or a fixed number tied to the tooth; none of that is in the hadith itself, and inventing detail doesn't make a practice more authentic. Alongside the dua, seeing a dentist for the underlying cause is simply sensible.

Does Dua Replace Medical Treatment?

No — Islamic teaching is explicit that the two work together, not as alternatives.

There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5678, narrated by Abu Huraira.

Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age.

Sunan Abi Dawud 3855, narrated by Usamah ibn Sharik.

In practice: say the dua, and see the doctor, dentist or pharmacist. Neither one is cover for skipping the other — and the outcome, on whatever timeline it comes, stays with Allah.

Does Illness Expiate Sins?

One of the most comforting parts of this teaching, and one of the least shared: pain borne with patience is never wasted.

No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5640, narrated by Aisha (RA).

No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5641.

This isn't a reason to seek out pain, and it isn't a claim that illness is a punishment — only a reminder that pain carried patiently, alongside dua and treatment, still counts for something.

Duas That Get Mixed Up With Pain Relief

Two well-known Qur'anic duas get relabelled online as "pain relief duas" — worth knowing the difference so you reach for the right one.

Both are worth knowing in their own right — just keep them for their own context, and reach for Muslim 2202 for physical pain itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

For physical pain, the dua the Prophet ﷺ taught by name is short, specific and firmly sourced: hand on the pain, Bismillah three times, then the refuge dua seven times (Sahih Muslim 2202).

• The core dua is authentic beyond doubt — narrated by Uthman ibn Abi al-'As, recorded in Sahih Muslim itself.
• A separate, equally authentic dua exists for general healing and sickness (Bukhari 5750 / Muslim 2191) — complementary, not interchangeable.
• The Qur'an offers further comfort through 17:82, 26:80, the Mu'awwidhatayn and Ayat al-Kursi.
• Chest pain needs an honest split between the emergency it can signal and the anxiety-related tightness it sometimes means.
• Toothache uses the same general pain dua, alongside a dentist visit for the cause.
• Dua sits beside medical treatment, never instead of it — and pain borne patiently is never without spiritual benefit.

The best way to make this dua part of your life is simply to start saying it — hand on the pain, with intention, next time something hurts.