The dua before sleeping is a beautiful and powerful way to remember Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) at the end of the day. Sleep is often referred to as 'mini death,' so it is even more important to end the day with gratitude, seeking Allah's protection and trusting in Him. Moreover, this dua is a prayer of a believer to seek blessings, forgiveness, and protection from harm while he is unconscious of his environment. It is also mustahab (recommended) to make this dua every night. If a person recites the dua before sleeping and dies during the night, they will die in a state of purity (Sahih al-Bukhari 6313). In addition, it is a way of thanking Allah for His countless blessings and provisions (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3396). It is also mentioned in (Sahih Muslim 2713 a) that praising Allah and His attributes before one goes to sleep brings immense rewards and blessings.
Morning & Evening Duas
Qul huwa Allahu ahad, Allahu assamad, Lam yalid walam yoolad, Walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad. Qul a'aoothu birabbi alfalaq, Min sharri ma khalaq, Wamin sharri ghasiqin ithawaqab, Wamin sharri annaffathatifee al'uqad, Wamin sharri hasidin itha hasad. Qul a'aoothu birabbi annas, Maliki annas, Ilahi annas, Min sharri alwaswasi alkhannas, Allathee yuwaswisu fee sudoori annas, Mina aljinnati wannas.
Recite Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas
Allaahu laa 'ilaaha 'illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom, laa ta'khuthuhu sinatun wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-'ardh, man thal-lathee yashfa'u 'indahu 'illaa bi'ithnihi, ya'lamu maa bayna 'aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bishay'im-min 'ilmihi 'illaa bimaa shaa'a, wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samaawaati wal'ardha, wa laa ya'ooduhu hifdhuhumaa, wa Huwal- 'Aliyyul- 'Adheem.
Allah! There is no God but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.(Whoever reads this when he lies down to sleep will have a guardian from Allah remain with him and Satan will not be able to come near him until he rises in the morning.)
'Aamanar-Rasoolu bimaa 'unzila ilayhi mir-Rabbihi walmu'minoon, kullun 'aamana billaahi wa malaa'ikatihi wa Kutubihi wa Rusulihi, laa nufarriqu bayna 'ahadim-mir-Rusulihi, wa qaaloo sami'naa wa 'ata'naa ghufraanaka Rabbanaa wa 'ilaykal-maseer.(1)Laa yukallifullaahu nafsan 'illaa wus'ahaa, lahaa maa kasabat wa 'alayhaa mak-tasabat, Rabbanaa laa tu'aakhithnaa 'in naseenaa 'aw 'akhta'naa, Rabbanaa wa laa tahmil 'alaynaa 'isran kamaa hamaltahu 'alal-latheena min qablinaa, Rabbanaa wa laa tuhammilnaa maa laa taaqata lanaa bihi, wa'fu 'annaa, waghfir lanaa warhamnaa, 'Anta Mawlaanaa fansurnaa 'alal-qawmil-kaafireen.(2)
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 and His angels and 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."(1)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."(2)(These two Verses will be sufficient for anyone who recites them at night before sleeping.)Allah burdens not a person beyond what he can bear. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us. Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector, and help us against the disbelieving people.
Bismika Rabbee wadha'tu janbee , wa bika 'arfa'uhu, fa'in 'amsakta nafsee farhamhaa, wa 'in 'arsaltahaa fahfadhhaa, bimaa tahfadhu bihi 'ibaadakas-saaliheen.
With Your Name my Lord, I lay myself down and with Your Name I rise. And if my soul You take, have mercy on it, and if You send it back then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves.(If any of you rises from his bed and later returns to it, let him dust off his bed with his waist garment three times and mention the Name of Allah, for he does not know what may have entered the bed after him, and when he lies down he should say: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Allaahwmma 'innaka khalaqta nafsee wa 'Anta tawaffaahaa, laka mamaatuhaa wa mahyaahaa, 'in 'ahyaytahaa fahfadhhaa, wa 'in 'amattahaa faghfir lahaa . Allaahumma 'innee 'as'alukal-'aafiyata.
O Allah, You have created my soul and You take it back. Unto You is its death and its life. If You give it life then protect it, and if You cause it to die then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for strength.
Allaahumma qinee 'athaabaka yawma tab'athu 'ibaadaka.
O Allah, save me from Your punishment on the Day that You resurrect Your slaves. (Three times)(When the Prophet saw wanted to lie down to sleep, he used to place his right hand under his cheek and says this dua'.)
Bismika Allaahumma 'amootu wa 'ahyaa.
In Your Name, O Allah, I die and I live.
Subhaanallaahi(1)Walhamdu lillaahi(2)Wallaahu 'akbar.(3)
Glory is to Allah. (Thirty-three times)(1)praise is to Allah. (Thirty-three times)(2)Allah is the Most Great. (Thirty-four times)(3)
Allaahumma Rabbas-samaawaatis-sab'i wa Rabbal-'Arshil-'Adheem, Rabbanaa wa Rabba kulli shay 'in, faaliqal-habbi wannawaa , wa munzilat-Tawraati wal-'Injeeli, wal-Furqaani, 'a'oothu bika min sharri kulli shay 'in 'Anta 'aakhithun binaasiyatihi. Allaahumma 'Antal-'Awwalu falaysa qablaka shay'un, wa 'Antal-'Aakhiru falaysa ba'daka shay'un, wa 'Antadh-Dhaahiru falaysa fawqaka shay'un, wa 'Antal-Baatinu falaysa doonaka shay'un, iqdhi 'annad-dayna wa 'aghninaa minal-faqri.
O Allah! Lord of the Seven heavens and Lord of the Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything. Splitter of the grain and the date-stone, Revealer of the Torah and the Injeel and the Furqan (the Qur'an), I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You shall seize by the forelock. O Allah You are the First and nothing has come before you, and You are the Last, and nothing may come after You. You are the Most High, nothing is above You and You are the Most Near and nothing is nearer than You. Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty.
Alhamdu lillaahil-lathee 'at'amanaa wa saqaanaa, wa kafaanaa, wa 'aawaanaa, fakam mimman laa kaafiya lahu wa laa mu'wiya.
Praise is to Allah Who has provided us with food and with drink, sufficed us and gave us an abode for how many are there with no provision and no home.
Allaahumma 'Aalimal-ghaybi wash-shahaadati faatiras-samaawaati wal'ardhi, Rabba kulli shay 'in wa maleekahu, 'ash-hadu 'an laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Anta, 'a'oothu bika min sharri nafsee, wa min sharrish-shaytaani wa shirkihi, wa 'an 'aqtarifa 'alaa nafsee soo 'an, 'aw 'ajurrahu 'ilaa Muslimin.
O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident, Maker of the heavens and the earth, Lord of everything and its Master, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers. (I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming any Muslim.
Recite Surah 32 (As-Sajdah) and Surah 67 (Al-Mulk).
Allaahumma 'aslamtu nafsee 'ilayka, wa fawwadhtu 'amree 'ilayka, wa wajjahtu wajhee 'ilayka, wa 'alja'tu dhahree 'ilayka, raghbatan wa rahbatan 'ilayka, laa maalja' wa laa manja minka 'illaa 'ilayka, 'aamantu bikitaabikal-lathee 'anzalta wa bi-nabiyyikal-lathee 'arsalta.
O Allah, I submit myself to You, entrust my affairs to You, turn my face to You, and lay myself down depending upon You, hoping in You and fearing You. There is no refuge, and no escape, except to You. I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) that You revealed, and the Prophet whom You sent.(Before you go to bed perform ablutions as you would for prayer, then lie down on your right side and says this dua'. Whoever says this and dies in his sleep, has died in a state of the natural monotheism (Fitrah).)
Reciting a dua before sleeping can have great spiritual benefits. One of the reasons is protection from Shaytan (Satan) while in the state of sleep. Also, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) instructed us to seek Allah's Protection from harm and evil influences through many supplications. Another great benefit is that you end the day with the remembrance of Allah (dhikr). It ensures that as we rest, our last thoughts are gratitude and submission to our Creator, a tone of peace and mindfulness.
Additionally, it makes the relationship between a believer and Allah more powerful. When we do this consciously, we affirm our dependence and trust in His mercy and care by turning to Him before we close our eyes. The Quran recommends constant remembrance of Allahسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى: "Verily, in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest." (Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:28)
According to the Sunnah, sleeping provides physical comfort and spiritual reward. Wudu (ablution) before going to bed is one of the important Sunnah. It was narrated from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he said, "When you go to bed, perform ablution like that for prayer…" (Sahih al-Bukhari 34305). This act purifies the body and the soul, making one ready for peaceful rest. Another recommended practice is dusting off the bed with the corner of your garment before sleeping. This little action ensures cleanliness and safety from any harmful thing that can be on the bed. The Prophet (ﷺ) told his believers to sleep on their right side. He (ﷺ) slept on his right side and put his right hand under his cheek. Lastly, before closing the eyes, the Tasbeeh (SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times) was encouraged to be recited. This is a form of dhikr that fills the heart with gratitude and tranquillity of the soul and helps one drift into sleep with a heart connected to Allah.
You need to avoid some common mistakes, which are as follows:
One common mistake is to skip the dua before sleeping because of laziness or being busy with daily life. Remembering Allah at the end of the day is a Sunnah and a source of great blessings.
Another common problem is reading the duas without paying attention to their meaning. Mindful reciting with a heart strengthens the spiritual connection and brings true peace. In contrast, making your supplications pull a few moments back and think about it.
Many people in today's fast-paced world heavily rely on sleep aids or medications and ignore Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى for comfort and protection. Permissible remedies are fine, but first, try to seek peace through remembrance and trust in Allah's mercy.
Reciting a dua before sleeping has many benefits. It is an excellent way to thank Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and seek His protection during the night. When a believer makes this supplication, Allah appoints angels to guard him while he sleeps, and Satan cannot harm him in any way.
This dua has also been proven to be a powerful dua to ask for Allah's blessings, and the one who has this habit is greatly rewarded. It makes the heart and mind at peace with the sleeper and protects the sleeper from anxieties, nightmares, evil whispers, or harm that may happen during the night.
In addition, constantly reciting a dua before sleep enhances the spiritual connection with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) during one's most weak state. Those who remember Allah, especially before sleeping, are the ones who are honored among the dhakireen. They are also those who are in constant remembrance of their Lord.
A simple and beautiful thing to do before sleeping is to recite or listen to Islamic dua before sleeping in remembrance of Allahسُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Not only does it offer protection and peace during the night, but it also strengthens the spiritual connection between the believer and the Creator. In a busy, distracted, worried world, remembering Allah as you rest (before falling asleep) takes only a few moments, and this becomes an act of worship. The habit of nightly supplication is a great blessing, tranquillity, and reward. Even small acts done consistently with sincerity hold great value in Islam. Reciting the recommended dua before sleeping is a part of your daily routine, as it will help you live a more mindful, peaceful, and spiritually rich life.
You can recite duas either silently or aloud. Both are acceptable. Reciting aloud with focus, however, can help you to be more mindful and present during your dua.
In Arabic, the dua before sleeping includes phrases such as “بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيَا وَأَمُوتُ” (Bismika Allahumma Ahya wa Amut). For greater reward and authenticity it is recommended that one learns and recites the original Arabic.
The English translation of the dua is: "In Your name, O Allah, I live and die." If you are still learning the Arabic version, you can begin by reciting the dua in English.
Before sleeping, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach different duas such as Surah Ikhlas, Surah Falaq, Surah Nas, and Ayat-ul-Kursi.
Yes, parents are advised to recite protective duas for their children like Ayat-ul-Kursi and even teach them simple duas before sleeping and waking up.