"Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā ja'altahu sahlā…" ("there is no ease except in what You make easy") is a dua for weeks that feel heavy for no single reason. It's recorded in Ibn Ḥibbān (974) and doesn't ask difficulty to disappear; it asks the One who makes things easy to act, in His time.
Why This Dua Matters
Some weeks are already heavy when they arrive, not necessarily because of one large thing, but because of the accumulation of small, silent obstacles. In these moments, the believer is not expected to pretend otherwise.
The Quran is full of people who told Allah (SWT) exactly how things were: Yūsuf (AS) in the well, Mūsā (AS) at the sea, Yunus (AS) in the dark. They didn't dress the difficulty up. They named it, and they asked.
This dua doesn't ask for the difficulty to disappear. It begins with a theological statement: there is no ease except what Allah (SWT) makes easy. It names where ease actually comes from, then asks that source to act. The timing is His. The asking is yours.
The Dua in Arabic, Transliteration & Translation
Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Transliteration
Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā ja'altahu sahlā wa anta taj'alu al-ḥazna idhā shi'ta sahlā.
“O Allah, there is no ease except in what You make easy, and You make difficulty easy when You will.”
How to Make This Dua Part of Your Week
When the weight arrives before you've had a chance to prepare for it
Say the first half slowly, as an orientation, not a complaint. You are not manufacturing ease by effort alone: you're placing the timing in His hands.
When you need to be present for someone else who is carrying something
Difficulty is not permanent. When you sit with someone in their hardship, say this dua for them.
When your giving this Friday comes from a week that has taken more than it gave
The believer who gives in a difficult week is giving from a different place than the one who gives from comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla" mean?
It means "O Allah, there is no ease except in what You make easy," a statement that all ease originates from Allah, followed by a request for Him to make a current difficulty easy.
When should I say this dua?
Any time a week feels heavy, whether from one clear source or an accumulation of small pressures. It's also a good dua to say on someone else's behalf when you're sitting with them through a hard time.
Where does this dua come from?
It's recorded in Ibn Ḥibbān (hadith 974), graded ṣaḥīḥ (authentic).
