What dua do I say when a task feels too hard?

A well-known dua for a hard task is "Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla, wa anta taj'alul-hazna idha shi'ta sahla." It means "O Allah, nothing is easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if You wish." You can also use Prophet Musa's dua, "Rabbi-shrah li sadri wa yassir li amri."

The dua for ease

"Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla, wa anta taj'alul-hazna idha shi'ta sahla."

"O Allah, there is no ease except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if You will." It's reported from the Prophet ﷺ by Ibn Hibban and Ibn as-Sunni and graded authentic by several hadith scholars. It's perfect before an exam, a hard conversation, a big project or a job interview.

Musa's dua before a huge task

When Allah sent Prophet Musa to face Pharaoh, the hardest job imaginable, he asked: "Rabbi-shrah li sadri, wa yassir li amri, wahlul 'uqdatan min lisani, yafqahu qawli", "My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease for me my task, and untie the knot from my tongue, so they may understand my speech" (Quran 20:25–28). Many students say it before presentations and exams.

"La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah"

This short phrase means "There is no power and no strength except with Allah." The Prophet ﷺ called it "a treasure from the treasures of Paradise" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6384). Saying it reminds you that you don't have to carry the task on your own strength.

Allah doesn't give you more than you can carry

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا "Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity..." Quran 2:286

And twice in Surah ash-Sharh He promises, "Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease" (Quran 94:5–6). A task feeling hard doesn't mean you're failing; it often means you're growing.

Make the task smaller, too

Break it down. Write the next single step and do only that.
Start with Bismillah and make your intention for Allah, so the effort itself is rewarded.
Use your best hours. Many find the time after Fajr the most focused part of the day.
Ask for help. Asking a colleague, teacher or friend isn't weakness. See Does sabr mean I shouldn't ask for help?
Then trust Allah with the result. See Does tawakkul mean I shouldn't worry?

If stress around the task is heavy, these duas can help too: What dua can I say when I feel anxious?

Key points

Say "Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla..." before hard tasks.
Musa's dua (Quran 20:25–28) asks for an open heart and an easy task.
"La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" is a treasure of Paradise.
Pair dua with small steps and trust in Allah.

Tip: Save both duas in your phone's notes with transliteration. Read them once before you open the laptop or walk into the exam hall, then begin with the smallest piece of the task.