Sleep is a blessing from Allah ﷻ, a time of rest for the body and soul. For a Muslim, it is not just a physical necessity but also a spiritual opportunity to remember Allah, seek His protection, and transform an ordinary act into an act of worship. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught his ummah beautiful supplications (duas) to recite before sleeping, ensuring that the night is filled with remembrance and protection. Among these, the most simple and powerful dua before sleeping is:
Arabic Dua Before Sleeping
اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Transliteration:
Allahumma bismika amootu wa ahyaa
English Meaning:
“O Allah, in Your name I die and I live.”
This short dua, though simple in words, carries deep meaning. It acknowledges that life and death are completely in the Hands of Allah, reminding the believer of their dependence upon Him. The Qur’an describes sleep as a minor form of death (Surah Az-Zumar 39:42), so this dua is a declaration of surrender to Allah before closing one’s eyes.
But this is not the only dua the Prophet ﷺ recommended. To gain full benefit from the Sunnah, there are several other duas and recitations that a Muslim can include in their nightly routine. These duas bring protection from Shaytan, relief from worries, blessings in sleep, and reward in the Hereafter. Let us explore them.
- Ayat-ul-Kursi (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites Ayat-ul-Kursi before sleeping, Allah will appoint a guard over him and no Shaytan will come near him until morning.” (Bukhari)
Arabic:
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Transliteration:
Allahu laa ilaaha illaa huwa al-hayyul-qayyoom, laa ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa laa nawm…
Meaning:
“Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Sustainer. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth…”
This verse is among the greatest protections for a believer, guarding against harm throughout the night.
- The Last Two Verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285–286)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
These verses are a shield of protection and forgiveness, granting safety from harm and mercy from Allah.
- Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Naas
Before sleeping, the Prophet ﷺ would recite these three surahs, blow into his hands, and wipe them over his body for protection. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Surah Al-Ikhlas (112):
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ * لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ * وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Meaning: “Say, He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
Surah Al-Falaq (113):
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ * مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ * وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ * وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ * وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Meaning: “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak from the evil of what He created…”
Surah An-Naas (114):
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ * مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ * إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ * مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ * ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ * مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
Meaning: “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer…”
Together, these surahs shield the believer from evil, envy, and the whispers of Shaytan.
- Dua for Forgiveness Before Sleeping
The Prophet ﷺ encouraged reciting this dua before bed:
Arabic:
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
Meaning:
“O Allah, I submit my soul to You, I entrust my affairs to You, I turn my face to You, and I rely upon You, out of desire and fear of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You revealed, and in Your Prophet whom You sent.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
This dua is a declaration of faith and trust in Allah before sleep.
- Tasbih Fatimah
The Prophet ﷺ taught Fatimah رضي الله عنها and Ali رضي الله عنه to recite before sleeping:
SubhanAllah (33 times)
Alhamdulillah (33 times)
Allahu Akbar (34 times)
This simple zikr brings peace to the heart, strength to the body, and blessings in life.
- General Sunnah Before Sleeping
Along with the duas, the Prophet ﷺ also encouraged:
Performing wudu before sleeping.
Lying on the right side.
Shaking the bed gently before lying down.
Not sleeping on the stomach.
Reciting adhkar (remembrances) regularly.
These Sunnah practices, combined with the duas, ensure a believer’s sleep is safe, blessed, and full of reward.
Conclusion
The simple dua before sleeping – “Allahumma bismika amootu wa ahyaa” – is easy to memorize yet deeply powerful, reminding us that life and death are in the Hands of Allah. Along with this, reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi, the last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, Surah An-Naas, the forgiveness dua, and Tasbih Fatimah creates a nightly shield of protection and brings tranquility to the soul. By adopting these prophetic duas and Sunnah, every Muslim can transform their sleep into worship, gain Allah’s protection, and wake up with peace and blessings. Truly, remembering Allah before sleep is one of the simplest yet most powerful habits a believer can develop.