Adhkar before sleep
End your day with the remembrance of Allah, and sleep in His protection.
13 adhkar, each with its repetitions and source.
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The Verse of the Throne
اللّهُ لاَ إِلََهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ بإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مَّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ»
Allah—there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is there who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot encompass anything of His knowledgeexcept what He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not weary Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
Its virtue: Whoever recites it will remain under Allah’s protection, and no devil will come near him until morning.
The evidence
: From a long hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, in which Satan said to him: “When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi: {Allah—there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting} until you finish the verse, for then Allah will continue to protect you, and no devil will come near you until morning.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “He has spoken the truth, even though he is a liar.”
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The last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ. لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ.
The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers. We do notmake any distinction between any of His messengers. And they said, “We hear and we obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final return.” Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. It shall have what it has earned, and upon it shall be what it has earned. “Our Lord, do not hold us accountable if we forgetor make a mistake. Our Lord, do not place upon us a burden as You placed upon those before us. Our Lord, do not burdenus with what we have no strength to bear; pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so grant us victory over the disbelieving people.”
Its virtue: Whoever recites them on a single night will be protected.
The evidence
From Abu Mas’ud al-‘Uqbi, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: ““Whoever recites the two verses from the end of Surah al-Baqarah in one night, they will suffice him.”
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The Protective Surahs (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas)
الْمُعَوِّذَات (3 مرات): يجمع كفيه وينفث فيهما (نفخ لطيف بلا ريق) ويقرأ: سورة الإخلاص، وسورة الفلق، وسورة الناس. ثم يمسح بهما ما استطاع من جسده، يبدأ برأسه ووجهه.
Al-Mu’awwidhat (3 times): He cups his hands and breathes gently into them (a gentle breath without saliva) and recites: Surah al-Ikhlas, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah an-Nas. Then he wipes as much of his body as he can with them, starting with his head and face.
The evidence
From Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: “The Prophet ﷺ, whenever he went to bed each night, would cup his hands, blow into them, and recite over them: {Say: He is Allah, the One} and {Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Dawn} and {Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind}, then he would wipe as much of his body as he could with them, beginning with his head, face, and the front of his body; he does this three times.”
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In Your Name, my Lord
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I raise it up, so if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You let it live, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.”
The evidence
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said: “When any of you goes to his bed, let him shake out his bedding with the inside of his lower garment, for he does not know what may have been left on it, Then let him say: ‘In Your name, O Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I raise it up; if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You let it live, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.”
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Perform wudu before going to sleep, then say
اللَّهُمَّ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ
O Allah, You created my soul and You will take it back; to You belongs its death and its life. If You keep it alive, then protect it; and if You cause it to die, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for well-being
The evidence
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that he instructed a man, saying that whenever he went to bed, he should say: “O Allah, You created my soul and You will take it back; to You belongs its death and its life. if You keep it alive, then protect it, and if You cause it to die, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for well-being.” A man then asked him, “Did you hear this from ‘Umar?” He replied, “From one better than ‘Umar—from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
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O Allah, protect me from Your punishment
اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your servants.
The evidence
From Hafsa, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whenever he wanted to lie down to sleep, would place his right hand under his cheek and then say: ‘O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your servants’ (three times).”
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Praise be to Allah
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا، وَكَفَانَا وَآوَانَا، فَكَمْ مِمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِيَ
Praise be to Allah, who has fed us and given us drink, provided for us, and sheltered us; for how many are there who have neither a provider nor a shelter?
The evidence
It was narrated from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to bed, he would say: “Praise be to Allah, Who has fed us and given us drink, provided for us, and sheltered us. How many there are who have neither a provider nor a shelter!”
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Repaying Debts and Seeking Wealth
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْأَرْضِ، وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ، اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ، وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ»
O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Mighty Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the kernel, and Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqan, I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything You have seized by the forelock. O Allah, You are the First; there is nothing before You, and You are the Last—there is nothing after You; You are the Manifest—there is nothing above You; and You are the Hidden—there is nothing beneath You; Settle our debts, and deliver us from poverty.”
The evidence
From Suhayl, who said: Abu Salih used to instruct us that whenever one of us wanted to sleep, he should lie down on his right side and then say: “O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Great Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the kernel, and Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Criterion, I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything—You seize it by the forelock. O Allah, You are the First; there is nothing before You, and You are the Last; there is nothing after You; and You are the Manifest; there is nothing above You; and You are the Hidden; there is nothing beneath You, Settle our debts for us, and deliver us from poverty” [1.1].He used to narrate this from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
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He will forgive your sins, even if they are like the foam of the sea.
«لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ»
“There is no god but Allah alone; He has no partner. To Him belongs the Kingdom, and to Him belongs all praise. He is capable of all things, and there is no power or strength except through Allah; glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.”
The evidence
Whoever says, when going to bed: “There is no god but Allah alone; He has no partner. To Him belongs sovereignty, and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things omnipotent,” There is no power or strength except through Allah; Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest; His sins—or his transgressions—have been forgiven, even if they were like the foam of the sea.
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O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth
اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَى نَفْسِي سُوءاً، أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَى مُسْلِمٍ»
O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Lord and Sovereign of all things, I bear witness that there is no god but You; I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own soul, and from the evil of Satan and his idolatry, and from committing any evil against myself or causing it to befall a Muslim.”
The evidence
From Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “O Messenger of Allah, instruct me with words that I may say when morning comes and when evening comes.” He said: “Say: ‘O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth… (and he mentioned the supplication),” then he ﷺ said: “Say them when you wake up, when you go to sleep, and when you lie down to rest.”
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In Your Name I die and live
باسمك اللهم أموت وأحيا.
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.
The evidence
Whenever the Prophet ﷺ went to bed, he would say: “In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.” And when he awoke, he would say: “Praise be to Allah, who has given us life after having caused us to die, and to Him is the Resurrection.”
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The Praises of Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her
سبحان الله ثلاثًا وثلاثين، والحمد لله ثلاثًا وثلاثين، والله أكبر أربعًا وثلاثين.
Glory be to Allah thirty-three times, Praise be to Allah thirty-three times, and Allah is the Greatest thirty-four times.
Its virtue: It is better for a person than a servant.
The evidence
It is narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her (the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ), complained about the hardship she endured while grinding grain, and she went to the Prophet ﷺ to ask him for a servant, but she did not find him there, so she mentioned this to Aisha, and when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came, Aisha told him about it. Ali said: “He came to us after we had already gone to bed, so I got up to leave, but he said: ‘Stay where you are,’ and he sat between us until I felt the coolness of his feet on my chest, then he said: ‘‘Shall I tell you what is better for you than a servant? When you retire to your beds or take your places to sleep, say ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty-four times, praise Allah thirty-three times, and give thanks to Him thirty-three times—for this is better for you than a servant.”
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(It is recommended that this be the last part of the text):
اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
O Allah, I have surrendered myself to You, entrusted my affairs to You, and turned my face toward You, and I have placed my trust in You, out of hope and fear of You; there is no refuge or escape from You except in You, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.
The evidence
From al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: “When you go to your bed, perform ablution as you would for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say: ‘O Allah, I have surrendered myself to You, and I have entrusted my affairs to You, and I turn my face toward You, and I entrust my back to You, out of longing and fear of You; there is no refuge or escape from You except to You, I believe in Your Book that You have revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You have sent. “If you die, die in a state of natural submission to You, and let these be the last words you utter.”