6 supplications
Duas for Protection
These remembrances form the daily shield of the believer, taught by the Prophet ﷺ for himself, his family and his grandsons.
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 three Quls×3
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ — قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ … — قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ …
Qul huwallahu ahad … Qul a‘udhu bi-rabbil-falaq … Qul a‘udhu bi-rabbin-nas …
Surat al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and al-Nas, three times each. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Recite them in the evening and the morning three times; they will suffice you against everything.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing can harm×3
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma‘asmihi shay’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’, wa huwas-sami‘ul-‘alim.
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Whoever says it three times in the morning and evening, nothing will harm him.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
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
Protection for children
أُعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
U‘idhukuma bi-kalimatillahit-tammah, min kulli shaytanin wa hammah, wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah.
I seek protection for you both in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and every poisonous creature, and from every evil eye. The Prophet ﷺ said this over al-Hasan and al-Husayn, saying Ibrahim used it for Isma‘il and Ishaq.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
Ma sha’ Allah
مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Ma sha’allahu la quwwata illa billah.
What Allah wills; there is no power except with Allah. Said when admiring a blessing, as taught in Surat al-Kahf, and a protection against the evil eye.
Source: Qur’an 18:39
Ruqyah and protection from the evil eye
The Prophet ﷺ approved ruqyah as long as it contains nothing of shirk (Muslim). The evil eye is real (al-Bukhari, Muslim); whoever admires something should say “Ma sha’ Allah” or ask for blessing on it, and the one who caused it may be asked to wash so that the water is poured over the affected person (Muslim).
The strongest protection
The greatest protection is constancy in the morning, evening and sleep adhkar, reciting Ayat al-Kursi and the Quls, and reliance on Allah, for fears have little hold on a heart attached to Him. The Prophet ﷺ sought protection for al-Hasan and al-Husayn with the perfect words of Allah (al-Bukhari).
Duas for Protection: questions and answers
Are amulets allowed for protection?
No. The Prophet ﷺ condemned amulets (Ahmad). Protection is sought through the Qur’an, the authentic adhkar and reliance on Allah.