بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Adhkaar before Sleeping and upon Waking Up
Essential supplications and Qur'anic verses for protection, peace, and blessings through the night
"When the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to bed, he would place his right hand under his cheek and say: 'Allahumma qini 'adhabaka yawma tab'athu 'ibadak' (O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your servants)." — Narrated by Abu Dawud
Introduction
The moments before sleep and upon waking are sacred opportunities to draw closer to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us specific adhkaar (remembrances) and Qur'anic verses to recite before resting, seeking protection and mercy throughout the night. Similarly, upon waking, we thank Allah for returning our souls and granting us another day of life.
Before beginning these adhkaar, ensure you are in a state of taharah (purity). Whatever we recite of these adhkaar, we must firmly believe in their meaning and strive to attain their blessings, lest we be merely reciting words without sincerity.
📜 Preparation Before Dhikr
- Be in Taharah (state of purity)
- Renew your Tawbah (repentance)
- Lie on your right side
Ayatul Kursi — Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255)
📜 The Verse of the Throne
"Allaahu laa ilaaha illaa huwal-hayyul qayyoom, laa ta'khudhuhoo sinatuw-walaa nawm, lahoo maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-ard, man dhal-ladhee yashfa'u 'indahoo illaa bi-idhnih, ya'lamu maa bayna aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bishay'im min 'ilmihee illaa bimaa shaa', wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samaawaati wal-ard, wa laa ya'oodu-hoo hifdhuhumaa, wa huwal-'aliyyul-'adheem."
Translation: "Allah — there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by 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 Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great."
🕐 Recite once before sleeping
Last Two Verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:284-286)
📜 The Concluding Verses
"Lillaahi maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-ard, wa in tubdoo maa fee an-fusikum aw tukhfoohu yuhaasibkum bihil-laah, fayaghfiru limay-yashaa'u wa yu'adhdhibu may-yashaa'u wAllaahu 'alaa kulli shay-in qadeer. Aamanar-rasoolu bimaa unzila ilayhi mir-rabbihi wal mu'minoon, kullun aamana billaahi wa malaa-ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rusulih, laa nufarriqu bayna ahadin mir-rusulih, wa qaaloo sami'naa wa ata'anaa ghufraanaka rabbanaa wa ilaykal-maseer. Laa yukalliful-laahu nafsan illa wus'ahaa, lahaa maa kasabat wa 'alay-haa maktasabat, rabbanaa laa tu'aakhidhnaa in naseenaa aw akhta'a-naa; rabbanaa wa laa tahmil 'alaynaa isran kamaa hamaltahu 'alal-ladheena min qablinaa, rabbanaa wa laa tuhammilnaa maa laa taaqata lanaa bih, wa'afu 'annaa waghfir lanaa warhamnaa, anta mawlaanaa fansurnaa 'alal-qawmil kaafireen."
Translation: "To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth. Whether you show what is in your minds or conceal it, Allah calls you to account for it. He forgives whom He pleases, and punishes whom He pleases, for Allah has power over all things. The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one believes in Allah, His angels, His books, and His Messengers. 'We make no distinction between one and another of His Messengers.' And they say: 'We hear, and we obey: we seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the end of all journeys. On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) Our Lord! Condemn 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! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have the strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector, help us against those who stand against faith.'"
🕐 Recite once before sleeping
The Four Quls
📜 Al-Kaafiroon, Al-Ikhlaas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas
Al-Kaafiroon (The Disbelievers)
"Qul yaa ayyuhal-kaafiroon..."
Al-Ikhlaas (Purity of Faith)
"Qul huwAllaahu ahad..."
Al-Falaq (The Dawn)
"Qul a'oodhu birabbil-falaq..."
An-Naas (Mankind)
"Qul a'oodhu birabbin-naas..."
🕐 Recite each once before sleeping
Tasbih before Sleep
📜 The Prophet's Night Dhikr
33 times — "Sub-haanAllaah" — "How Perfect is Allah."
33 times — "Alhamdulillaah" — "All praise is for Allah."
34 times — "Allaahu Akbar" — "Allah is Greater."
🕐 Recite before sleeping
Du'a Before Lying Down
📜 In Your Name, O Allah
"Bismika Rabbee wada'tu jambee wabika arfa'uh, fa-in amsakata naf-see farhamhaa, wa'in arsaltahaa, fahfadhhaa bimaa tahfadhu bihee 'ibaadakas-saaliheen."
Translation: "In your name, O Allah, I lay my side and in Your name I raise it. If You keep my soul, give it (Your loving) Mercy, and if You release it, care for it as You care for Your righteous servants."
🕐 Once before sleeping
Du'a of Surrender to Allah
📜 The Final Dhikr Before Sleep
"Allaahumma aslamtu nafsee ilayk, wa wajjahtu wajhee ilayk, wa faw-wadhtu amree ilayk, wa-alja'tu dhahree ilayk, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayk, laa malja'a walaa manjaa minka illaa ilayk, aamantu bikitaabikal-ladhee anzalt, wabinabiyyakal-ladhee arsalt."
Translation: "O Allah, I have surrendered myself to You, and I have oriented my face (heart) to You, and I have submitted (all matter of my life for decision) to You, and I have turned my back for refuge, in desire and in fear, towards You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except to You. I have believed in Your book which You have revealed, and in Your Nabi whom You have sent."
🕐 Once before sleeping — This is to be the very last dhikr recited before sleeping, while lying on one's right side.
Upon Waking Up
🌿 Du'a of Gratitude for Life
"Alhamdu lillaahil-ladhee ahyaanaa ba'da maa amaatanaa wa ilayhinnushoor."
Translation: "All praise is due to Allah who has given us life after causing us to die, and to Him is (our) resurrection."
🌿 Du'a for Wellness and Dhikr
"Alhamdu lillaahil-ladhee radda 'alayya roohee, wa 'aafaanee fee jasa-dee, wa-adhina lee bi dhikrih."
Translation: "All praise is due to Allah who has returned upon me my soul, has given me wellness in my body and has permitted me to be in dhikr of Him."
🌿 Important Note
Readers must treat this book with the utmost respect as it contains verses and chapters of the Noble Qur'an.
Conclusion
These adhkaar are a shield of protection and a means of drawing closer to Allah. By consistently reciting them with sincerity and understanding, we transform our sleep into an act of worship and our waking moments into gratitude. The Prophet (peace be upon him) never neglected these remembrances, and by following his Sunnah, we invite barakah into every aspect of our lives.
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