Painkiller - A dua for those in pain

It was Sep 2015, Allāh decreed that I would be admitted in the hospital. I was in a lot of pain, in my kidneys and in the lungs. Just before that I had learnt about this duʾāʼ during my regular studies. Every time I was in pain, I would make this duʾāʼ exactly how it is mentioned in the Sunnah, my pain would go away. Every single time!

What happened this morning motivated me to write this article. I want people to not only benefit from this duʾāʼ but also I want to make a point in aqeedah.

I was not making this duʾāʼ to "give it a try", I was making this duʾāʼ with full conviction that this would give me relief from the extreme pain. The reason behind this conviction was the extensive research on this topic. These narrations have been mentioned in various books of aḥādīth, all of them that I came across were authentic narrations.

When making this duʾāʼ, keep following points in mind:

1. Cure is in the Hands of Allāh only. No doctor, no medicine can bring cure per se. They are only means to get the cure. Ibrahim also made this point to his people

   وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ

   And when I am ill, it is He who cures me

   Surah as-Shu'ara 26:80 ¹

2. Allāh is testing you, so believe in him, follow His commands and refrain from His prohibitions, while in pain and after you are cured.

   وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

   And when My servants ask you, [O Muḥammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.

   Surah al-Baqarah 2:186 ²

3. When making this duʾāʼ, make it with full conviction, and do not have "give it a try" attitude.
   
   Prophet ﷺ said

   إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي فِيَّ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا دَعَانِ

   Indeed Allāh Most High says: 'I am as My slave thinks of Me, and I am with him when He calls upon Me.

   Jami at-Tirmidhi 2388 ³

4. Follow the way exactly as mentioned below (which is sourced from the sunnah)

Process & Duʾāʼ

1. Place your right hand on the place where you have pain
2. Say 3 times

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ

With the Name of Allāh

Remember, this is only "بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ" and not the full basmallah.

3. Say 7 times

أَعُوذُ باللهِ وقُدرَتِه مِن شرِّ ما أَجِدُ وأُحاذِرُ

I seek refuge with Allāh and with His Power from the evil that afflicts me and that which I apprehend

This tradition has been authenticated transmitted through various chains, here is the wording from Sahih Muslim

عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ الثَّقَفِيِّ، أَنَّهُ شَكَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَعًا يَجِدُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمَ . فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " ضَعْ يَدَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي تَأَلَّمَ مِنْ جَسَدِكَ وَقُلْ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ . ثَلاَثًا . وَقُلْ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ "

Uthman b. Abu al-'As Al-Thaqafi reported that he nade a complaint of pain to Messenger of Allāh ﷺ that he felt in his body at the time he had become Muslim. Thereupon Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say Bismillah three times and seven times A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa ukhdhiru

Sahih Muslim 2202 ⁴

Here are few other references with their classification/grading.

• Sahih Muslim 2202
• Sunan Abi Dawood 3891 (Sahih)
• Sunan Ibn Majah 3522 (Sahih)
• Jami at-Tirmidhi 2080 (Sahih)

This is also collected by Imam an-Nawawi in his famous collection "Riyād as-Saliheen" (no. 905)

Lastly, I want to remind us of this ayah

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ

Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allāh? Little do you remember.

Surah an-Naml 27:62 ⁵

May Allāh cure every Muslim who is ill. You might also like another article that specifically talks about the etiquette of duʾāʼ and best times to make duʾāʼ.