Dhikr Before Sleep: What the Prophet Said Each Night

Ayat al-Kursi

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa-l-Ḥayyu-l-Qayyūm, lā ta’khudhuhū sinatuw-wa lā nawm, lahū mā fi-s-samāwāti wa mā fi-l-arḍ, man dhā’lladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahū illā bi-idhnih, yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum, wa lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shay’im-min ʿilmihī illā bi-mā shā’, wasiʿa kursiyyuhu-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ, wa lā ya’ūduhū ḥifẓuhumā wa Huwa-l-ʿAlliyu-l-ʿAẓīm.

"Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (2:255)"

Last two Ayah of Surah-al Baqrah: Will suffice you

آمَنَ الرَّسُوْلُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ ، كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ، لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ، وَقَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ. لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ، لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ، رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِيْنَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ، وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ، أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا ، فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِيْنَ

Āmana-r-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi mi-r-rabbihī wa-l-mu’minūn, kullun āmana bi-l-llāhi wa malā’ikatihī wa kutubihī wa rusulih, lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadim-mi-r-rusulih, wa qālū samiʿnā wa aṭaʿnā ghufrānaka Rabbanā wa ilayka-l-maṣīr. Lā yukallifu-l-llāhu nafsan illā wusʿahā, lahā mā kasabat wa ʿalayhā ma-ktasbat, Rabbanā lā tuākhidhnā i-n-nasīnā aw akhṭa’nā, Rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣran kamā ḥamaltahū ʿala-l-ladhīna min qablinā, Rabbanā wa lā tuḥammilnā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bih, waʿfu ʿannā wa-ghfir lanā war-ḥamnā, Anta Mawlānā fan-ṣurnā ʿala-l-qawmi-l-kāfirīn.

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His Messengers.” And they say, “We hear and we obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final destination.” Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.”

Surah-al Kafirun: Negation of Shirk

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُوْنَ ، لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ، وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُوْنَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ، وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ ، وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُوْنَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ، لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِيْنِ

Qul yā ayyuha-l-kāfirūn, lā aʿbudu mā taʿbudūn, wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud, wa lā ana ʿābidūm-mā ʿabat-tum, wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud, lakum dīnukum waliya dīn.

Say: O disbelievers, I worship not that which you worship. And nor do you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your religion, and to me my religion.

3 Quls

(3X) قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ ، اَللهُ الصَّمَدُ ، لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا (3X) حَسَدَ قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ، مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ، إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ، اَلَّذِيْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِيْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ ،مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ (3X)

Qul Huwa-llāhu Aḥad. Allāhu-ṣ-Ṣamad. Lam yalid wa lam yūlad. Wa lam yakul-lahū kufuwan aḥad. Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi-l-falaq. Min sharri mā khalaq. Wa min sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqab. Wa min sharri-n-naffāthāti fi-l-ʿuqad. Wa min sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasad Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi-n-nās. Maliki-n-nās. Ilāh-hin-nās. Min sharri-l-waswāsi-l-khannās. Al-ladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri-n-nās. Mina-l-jinnati wa-n-nās.

Say, He is Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal. (112) Say, I seek protection of the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of the darkening night when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envies. (113) Say, I seek protection of the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, who whispers in the hearts of mankind, whether they be Jinn or people.

Tasbih, Tahmid and Takbir

(34X) سُبْحَانَ اللهِ ، اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ (33X) ، (33X) اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ

Subḥāna-llāh. Alḥamdu li-llāh, Allāhu akbar.

Allah is free from imperfection. All praise be to Allah. Allah is the Greatest.

Mercy & Protection

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّيْ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِيْ ، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِيْ فَارْحَمْهَا ، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِيْنَ

Bismika Rabbī waḍaʿtu jambī, wa bika arfaʿuh, fa in amsakta nafsī fa-r-ḥamhā, wa in arsaltahā, fa-ḥ-faẓhā bimā taḥfaẓu bihī ʿibādaka-s-sāliḥīn.

In Your Name my Lord, I lie down, and in Your Name, I rise. If You take my soul away then have mercy upon it, and if You return my soul then protect it with what you protect Your righteous servants with.

Protection from Punishment

(3X) اَللّٰهُمَّ قِنِيْ عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ

Allāhumma qinī ʿadhābaka yawma tabʿathu ʿibādak.

O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day You resurrect Your servants.

Thank Allah for Blessing you

اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِيْ أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا ، وَكَفَانَا ، وَآوَانَا ، فَكَمْ مِّمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِيَ

Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-l-ladhī aṭʿamanā wa saqānā, wa kafānā, wa āwānā, fakam-mim-man lā kāfīya lahū walā mu’wiy.

All praise is for Allah, Who provided us food and drink and Who sufficed us and has sheltered us; for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them.

Protect yourself from the 4 Evils

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيْكَهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِيْ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ سُوْءًا ، أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَىٰ مُسْلِمٍ

Allāhumma ʿālima-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, fāṭir-as-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi rabba kulli shay’iw-wa malīkah, ash-hadu al-lā ilāha illā Anta, aʿūdhu bika min sharri nafsī wa min sharri-sh-shayṭāni wa shirkihī wa an aqtarifa ʿalā nafsī sū’an aw ajurrahū ilā muslim.

O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Sovereign of everything; I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your protection from the evil of my own self, from the evil of Shaytān and from the evil of polytheism to which he calls, and from inflicting evil on myself, or bringing it upon a Muslim.

Protection from Evil and Settling of Debts

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَىٰ ، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيْلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُوْنَكَ شَيْءٌ ، اِقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ

Allāhumma Rabb-as-samāwāti wa Rabba-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿaẓīm, Rabbanā wa Rabba kulli shay’, fāliqa-l-ḥabbi wa-n-nawā, wa munzila-t-tawrāti wa-l-injīli wa-l-furqān, aʿūdhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in Anta ākhidhun bi-nāṣiyatih, Allāhumma Anta-l-Awwalu fa-laysa qablaka shay’, wa Anta-l-Ākhiru fa-laysa baʿdaka shay’, wa Anta-ẓ- Ẓāhiru fa-laysa fawqaka shay’, wa Anta-l-Bāṭinu fa-laysa dūnaka shay’, iqḍi ʿanna-d-dayna wa aghninā mina-l-faqr.

O Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the date stone, Revealer of the Torah, the Bible and the Criterion (Qur’ān); I seek Your protection from the evil of every thing You hold by the forehead. You are the First and there is nothing before You. You are the Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High and there is nothing above You. You are the Most Near and nothing is closer than You; settle our debts for us and spare us from poverty.

Ask Allah to Protect you from evil

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ ، وَكَلِمَاتِكَ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ تَكْشِفُ الْمَغْرَمَ وَالْمَأْثَمَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا يُهْزَمُ جُنْدُكَ ، وَلَا يُخْلَفُ وَعْدُكَ ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ ، سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bi wajhika-l-karīm, wa kalimātika-t-tāmmati min sharri mā Anta ākhidhun bi nāṣiyatih, Allāhumma Anta takshifu-l-maghrama wa-l-ma’tham, Allāhumma lā yuhzamu junduk, wa lā yukhlafu waʿduk, wa lā yanfaʿu dha-l-jaddi minka-l-jadd, subḥānaka wa bi-ḥamdik.

O Allah, I seek protection by Your Noble Countenance and by Your perfect words from the evil of all that You hold by the forehead. O Allah, it is You who removes debt and sin. O Allah, Your army is never defeated and Your promise is never broken. The wealth of the wealthy does not avail them against You. You are free from imperfection, and to You belongs all praise.

Protection, Well-being and Forgiveness

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِيْ وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا ، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا ، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا ، وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَة

Allāhumma innaka khalaqta nafsī wa Anta tawaffāhā, laka mamātuhā wa maḥyāhā, in aḥyaytahā fa-ḥfaẓhā, wa in amattahā fa-ghfir lahā, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyah.

O Allah, verily You have created my soul and You shall take its life. To You Alone belongs its life and death. If You keep my soul alive then protect it, and if You take it away, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You to grant me well-being.

Forgiveness & Protection

بِسْمِ اللهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِيْ ، وَفُكَّ رِهَانِيْ ، وَاجْعَلْنِيْ فِي النَّدِيِّ الْأَعْلَىٰ

Bismillāhi waḍaʿtu jambī, Allāhumma-ghfir lī dhambī, wa akhsi’ shayṭānī, wa fukka rihānī, wa-jʿalnī fi-n-Nadiyyi-l-Aʿlā.

In the Name of Allah, I lie down. O Allah, forgive my sins, ward off from me my shaytān, free me from my obligations (to others) and enter me into the loftiest assembly (of angels).

Praise Allah with the Praises of the Entire Creation

اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِيْ كَفَانِيْ وَآوَانِيْ ، اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِيْ أَطْعَمَنِيْ وَسَقَانِيْ ، اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِيْ مَنَّ عَلَيَّ فَأَفْضَلَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِعِزَّتِكَ أَنْ تُنَجِّيَنِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ

Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-lladhī kafānī wa āwānī, al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-l-ladhī aṭʿamanī wa saqānī, al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-l-ladhī manna ʿalayya fa-afḍal, allāhumma innī as’aluka bi ʿizzatika an tunajjiyanī min-an-nār.

All praise is for Allah Who has sufficed me and given me refuge. All praise is for Allah Who has fed me and given me drink. All praise is for Allah Who has been gracious to me and showered favours on me. O Allah, I ask You by Your Glory, save me from the Hell-Fire.

Sleep in the name of your Lord

اَللّٰهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوْتُ وَأَحْيَا

Allāhumma bismika amūtu wa aḥyā.

O Allah, solely in Your Name I die and I live.

Get Forgiven before going to Sleep

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَاللهُ أَكْبَرُ

Lā ilāha illā-l-lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa Huwa ʿalā kulli shay’in qadīr, wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh, subḥāna-llāhi wa-l-ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illā Allāhu wa-l-Allāhu akbar

There is no god but Allah. He is Alone and He has no partner whatsoever. To Him Alone belong all sovereignty and all praise. He is over all things All-Powerful. There is no power (in averting evil) or strength (in attaining good) except through Allah. Allah is free from imperfection, and all praise is for Allah. There is no god but Allah and Allah is the Greatest.

If seeking forgiveness is what you want to focus on tonight, see our full guide to Istighfar.

Die upon the Fitrah

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَأَلْجَاْتُ ظَهْرِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِيْ أَنْزَلْتَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِيْ أَرْسَلْتَ

Allāhumma aslamtu nafsī ilayk, wa fawwaḍtu amrī ilayk, wa wajjahtu wajhī ilayk, wa alja’tu ẓahrī ilayk, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayk, lā malja’a wa lā manjā minka illā ilayk, āmantu bi kitābika-l-ladhī anzalt, wa bi Nabiyyika-lladhī arsalt.

O Allah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is no refuge or safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.