5 supplications
Duas for Fear at Night, Nightmares and Insomnia
The night brings rest to most people but fear or sleeplessness to some. The Prophet ﷺ taught a Companion who was afraid at night a du‘a of refuge, taught another who could not sleep what to say, and explained what to do after a bad dream.
For fear and nightmares at night
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min ghadabihi wa ‘iqabih, wa sharri ‘ibadih, wa min hamazatish-shayatini wa an yahdurun.
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and His punishment, from the evil of His servants, and from the promptings of the devils and their presence.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
On turning over in bed at night
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ، رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ
La ilaha illallahul-wahidul-qahhar, rabbus-samawati wal-ardi wa ma baynahumal-‘azizul-ghaffar.
There is no god but Allah, the One, the Subduer, Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving.
Source: Sunan al-Nasa’i; al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim
Refuge in the perfect words of Allah×3
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created. Whoever says it when stopping at a place, nothing will harm him until he leaves it.
Source: Sahih Muslim
After a bad dream×3
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
A‘udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim.
I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed. Spit lightly to the left three times, seek refuge from Shaytan and from the evil of the dream, turn onto the other side, and do not tell anyone about it: it will not harm you.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Ayat al-Kursi
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
Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyum, la ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard, man dhal-ladhi yashfa‘u ‘indahu illa bi-idhnih, ya‘lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay’im-min ‘ilmihi illa bima sha’, wasi‘a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya’uduhu hifdhuhuma, wa huwal-‘aliyyul-‘adhim.
Allah — there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth… His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great. Whoever recites it in the morning is protected until the evening, and whoever recites it in the evening is protected until the morning.
Source: Qur’an 2:255; al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim
The du‘a for fear at night
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If one of you is frightened in his sleep, let him say: “A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min ghadabihi wa ‘iqabih…”, and it will not harm him (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi). ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr taught it to his children who could reason and wrote it for the younger ones. Parents can recite it over children who fear the dark.
Whoever stops at a place and says “A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq” will not be harmed until he leaves it (Muslim). Ayat al-Kursi at bedtime keeps a guardian from Allah with the sleeper until morning (al-Bukhari).
After a bad dream
The Prophet ﷺ said: “A good dream is from Allah and a bad dream is from Satan. Whoever sees something he dislikes, let him spit lightly to his left three times, seek refuge in Allah from Satan and its evil, turn to his other side and not tell anyone; it will not harm him” (al-Bukhari, Muslim). He may also get up and pray.
Interpreting bad dreams, searching for their meaning online or telling them to others is discouraged; following these steps closes the door.
When sleep does not come
‘A’ishah reported that when the Prophet ﷺ turned over at night he said “La ilaha illallahul-wahidul-qahhar…” (an-Nasa’i in al-Kubra, al-Hakim). Other means of sleep from the Sunnah: wudu before bed, lying on the right side, the bedtime adhkar, the three Quls blown into the palms, and avoiding long talk after ‘Isha’.
Practical tips
- Recite Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls before sleep.
- Sleep in a state of wudu, on the right side.
- Recite the du‘a of fear over children at bedtime.
- Do not tell anyone about a bad dream.
- Avoid frightening content before sleep.
Duas for Fear at Night, Nightmares and Insomnia: questions and answers
What du‘a do I teach a child who is afraid at night?
“A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min ghadabihi wa ‘iqabihi wa sharri ‘ibadih…”; ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr taught it to his children (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi).
Should I tell anyone about my bad dream?
No. The Sunnah is not to tell it, and it will not harm you (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
What if I wake up and cannot go back to sleep?
Repeat the dhikr of turning over, read Ayat al-Kursi, or rise to pray a few rak‘ahs, which is a valuable time for du‘a.