Du’a for Dealing with Difficult People

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

For those who have to deal with someone difficult, such as a superior at work, or people who do not give them respect, my shaykh taught us to say this: 

سُوۡرَةُ یُوسُف

إِذۡ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ إِنِّى رَأَيۡتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوۡكَبً۬ا وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ رَأَيۡتُہُمۡ لِى سَـٰجِدِينَ (٤) 

Behold, Joseph said to his father, “O my father!  I did see eleven stars, and the Sun, and the Moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!” (Surah Yusuf:4) 

Idz qaala Yusuf li abiihi, yaa abati, innii ra aytu ahada ‘ashara kawkaban wa ash-shamsa wa al-qamara ra aytuhum lii saajidiin. 

For those who cannot read Arabic, I have written out the transliteration. 

There are several ways.  One can either recite quietly before addressing the person.  One can recite it on water and give the person to drink - and this is effective against children.  Or one can recite and blow in the direction.  The intention is that the person treat you with respect, or calm down.