It is that time of year again: we are all feeling the burn and pressure, those of us at school, in college, or at university. We know the strain of the ongoing pressures, sleepless nights, pressurised thought environments, library all-nighters, and memorising on your bed with enough snacks to last you a few days while buried in your study cave. It is an intense process, and not without great challenges to your physical and mental health.

Meditation grows your brain capacity

New studies suggest we can grow our own level of happiness through practices like meditation. Scientists at Kyoto University conducted an experiment, which lead to them finding an area of the brain called the precuneus, which was larger in people who were happier. Previous studies have proven that regular meditation increases grey matter in the precuneus. Dr Sato mentions, “Our results suggest that psychological training that effectively increases grey matter and volume in the precuneus may enhance subjective happiness.” The study suggested contentment and happiness can be worked like a muscle. As Muslims we are given a number of great remedies to reduce stress:

• Recitation of the Qur’an
• Salah
• Tahajjud
• Supplications
• Reciting or listening to the Qur’an – not only does it decrease stress levels, soften the heart, increase contentedness and bring you into the present, but it can also help remedy bad memory. Just by reading it and learning it, you are increasing your memory capacity.

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Here are some supplications to read this exam and deadline period:

Conveying Knowledge

1. “O my Sustainer! Open up my heart and make my task easy for me, and loosen the knot from my tongue so that they might fully understand my speech.” [Qur’an 20:25-28]

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Rabbishrah lee sadree Wayassir lee amree Wahlul ‘uqdatan min lisanee Yafqahoo qawlee

Ayat were revealed from Surah Taha, verses 25-28. These specific verses were the words of Musa AS  when he was going to speak with the Pharoah to spread his message. He was greatly nervous due to his speech impediment. He was severely distressed and made these supplications, so that Allah (SWT) may have mercy on him. This supplication can serve many purposes, used for standardized tests, and help improve your speech both orally and in writing. Recite this du’a before delivering lectures, a big interview or any time you might need it.

When memorising and analysing

2. O Allah! There is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if it is Your Will.

اللهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إلا مَا جَعَلتَهُ سَهْلا وَ أنتَ تَجْعَلُ الحزْنَ إذا شِئْتَ سَهْلا

Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa ‘anta taj-alul hazna idha shi’ta sahla

3. “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [Qur’an 20:114]

رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Rabi zidnee ‘ilma

4. O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, provision that is pure and deeds that will be accepted. 

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘Ilman naafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan

Dua After Studying

5. “Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.” [Qur’an 2:32]

سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

Subhanaka la ‘ilma lana ‘illa ma ‘allamtana ‘innaka ‘antal-‘Alimul Hakim

6. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from a soul that is not satisfied, a heart that is not humble, knowledge that is of no benefit and a supplication that is not answered.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا

Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min nafsin la tashba’u wa min qalbin la yakhsha’u wa min ‘ilmin la yanfa’u wa du’a’in la yustajab

Dua for studying something difficult

7. O Allah! Nothing is easy except what You have made easy. If You wish, You can make the difficult easy.

اللهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إلا مَا جَعَلتَهُ سَهْلا وَ أنتَ تَجْعَلُ الحزْنَ إذا شِئْتَ سَهْلا

Allahumma la sahla illama ja-‘altahu sahla wa anta taj ‘alu al hazana etha shi’ta sahla

8. There is none worth of worship but Allah alone, Who has no partner, His is the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is able to do all things.

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدَ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Laa ‘illaha ‘illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘alaa kulli shay’in Qadeer

Dua for Anxiety and Worry

9. Allah is sufficient for me. There is none worthy of worship but Him. I have placed my trust in Him. He is the Lord of the Majestic throne.

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

HasbiyAllahu laa ilaaha illa huwa alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabbul arshil adheem

10. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt, and being overpowered by (other) men.

‏ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-‘ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wad-daini, wa ghalabatar-rijal

11.  O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye (i.e. a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You.

اللّهُـمَّ رَحْمَتَـكَ أَرْجـوفَلا تَكِلـني إِلى نَفْـسي طَـرْفَةَ عَـيْن، وَأَصْلِـحْ لي شَأْنـي كُلَّـه لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أنْـت

Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa as-lih li sha’ni kul-lahu, la illaha il-la anta

12. Allah, Allah, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him.

اللهُ اللهُ رَبِّ لا أُشْـرِكُ بِهِ شَيْـئاً

Allaah, Allaah, Rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an