End the day remembering Allah. Read the complete Arabic texts and English meanings below. Remember the Sunnah of making wudu and lying on your right side. The instruction for Al-Baqarah’s final two verses applies at night and is not restricted to bedtime.
This is a selection of reported adhkar. Other authentic wordings may exist. Where the report gives no count, do not invent one and call it Sunnah.
Surah Al-Ikhlas
Time / count: Before sleep: recite the three surahs into your cupped hands with a gentle blowing, then wipe over your body. Repeat this practice three times.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
English meaning: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Say: He is Allah, One. Allah is the One on whom all depend. He neither begets nor is born, and none is comparable to Him.
Surah Al-Falaq
Time / count: Before sleep: recite the three surahs into your cupped hands with a gentle blowing, then wipe over your body. Repeat this practice three times.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
English meaning: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what He created, from the evil of darkness when it settles, from the evil of those who blow into knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.
Surah An-Nas
Time / count: Before sleep: recite the three surahs into your cupped hands with a gentle blowing, then wipe over your body. Repeat this practice three times.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
English meaning: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer who whispers into people’s hearts, from among jinn and mankind.
Ayat al-Kursi — Al-Baqarah 2:255
Time / count: Recite the complete verse before sleep; the report does not specify a repetition count.
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
English meaning: Allah: none is worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and behind them. They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi encompasses the heavens and earth, and preserving them does not burden Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent.
Significance: The report mentions protection from Allah until morning and Satan not approaching.
The final two verses of Al-Baqarah — 2:285
Time / count: Recite 2:285 and 2:286 at night. The instruction is not restricted to immediately before sleep.
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
English meaning: The Messenger believes in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. All believe in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers. They say: We hear and obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return.
Significance: The report states that these two verses suffice for the person who recites them at night.
The final verse of Al-Baqarah — 2:286
Time / count: Recite 2:285 and 2:286 at night. The instruction is not restricted to immediately before sleep.
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
English meaning: Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. It receives the good it earns and bears responsibility for the evil it earns. Our Lord, do not take us to account if we forget or make a mistake. Do not place upon us a burden like that placed on those before us. Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us and have mercy upon us. You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelieving people.
Going to sleep in Allah’s name
Time / count: When going to bed; no repetition count is specified.
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
English meaning: O Allah, in Your name I die and live.
Entrusting one’s soul to Allah
Time / count: After dusting your bed, when lying down; no repetition count is specified.
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
English meaning: My Lord, in Your name I lay down my side, and by Your help I raise it. If You retain my soul, have mercy upon it. If You release it, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.
Tasbih, tahmid and takbir before sleep
Time / count: Subhan Allah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu akbar 34 times.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
English meaning: Subhan Allah: Allah is free from all imperfection. Alhamdulillah: all praise belongs to Allah. Allahu akbar: Allah is the Greatest.
Significance: The Prophet ﷺ taught this to Ali and Fatimah as something better for them than a servant.
Refuge from one’s own evil and Satan
Time / count: Morning, evening and when going to bed; no repetition count is specified in this report.
اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَشَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ
English meaning: O Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth, Knower of the unseen and seen, Lord and Sovereign of everything: I testify that none is worthy of worship except You. I seek refuge in You from my own evil, from Satan’s evil and from the shirk to which he calls.
The final supplication before sleep
Time / count: Make wudu as for prayer, lie on your right side and make these your final words before sleep.
اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، اللَّهُمَّ آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
English meaning: O Allah, I submit my face to You, entrust my affairs to You and rely upon You for support, with hope in You and fear of You. There is no refuge or escape from You except with You. I believe in Your Book that You revealed and Your Prophet whom You sent.
Significance: The hadith describes dying upon the fitrah if one dies that night.
Practice with understanding
Remember whom you are asking for refuge. The words are not an independently acting spell. If your attention wanders, return to the meaning. Continuing difficulty alone does not prove weak faith.
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