9 supplications
More Sunnahs for Bedtime and the Night
The night has its own Sunnahs: words when lying down, surahs that protect the sleeper, thanks for shelter and food, and the verses the Prophet ﷺ recited when he woke for the night prayer. Together they turn sleep itself into worship.
My soul is Yours
اللَّهُمَّ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ
Allahumma khalaqta nafsi wa anta tawaffaha, laka mamatuha wa mahyaha, in ahyaytaha fahfadhha, wa in amattaha faghfir laha. Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afiyah.
O Allah, You created my soul and You will take it; its death and its life are Yours. If You keep it alive, protect it; if You cause it to die, forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for well-being.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Bedtime du‘a for debts
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبَّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ، اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ، وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ
Allahumma rabbas-samawati wa rabbal-ardi wa rabbal-‘arshil-‘adhim, rabbana wa rabba kulli shay’, faliqal-habbi wan-nawa, wa munzilat-tawrati wal-injili wal-furqan, a‘udhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in anta akhidhun bi-nasiyatih. Allahumma antal-awwalu falaysa qablaka shay’, wa antal-akhiru falaysa ba‘daka shay’, wa antadh-dhahiru falaysa fawqaka shay’, wa antal-batinu falaysa dunaka shay’, iqdi ‘annad-dayn, wa aghnina minal-faqr.
O Allah, Lord of the heavens, the earth and the mighty Throne, our Lord and Lord of everything, Splitter of the seed and the date-stone, Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel and the Furqan: I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything You hold by the forelock. You are the First, nothing is before You; the Last, nothing is after You; the Manifest, nothing is above You; the Hidden, nothing is beyond You. Settle our debts and free us from poverty.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Lying down: drive my devil away
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي، وَأَخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِي، وَفُكَّ رِهَانِي، وَاجْعَلْنِي فِي النَّدِيِّ الْأَعْلَى
Bismillahi wada‘tu janbi, Allahummaghfir li dhanbi, wa akhsi’ shaytani, wa fukka rihani, waj‘alni fin-nadiyyil-a‘la.
In the name of Allah I lay down my side. O Allah, forgive my sin, drive away my devil, free me from my pledge and place me in the highest assembly.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
Thanks for shelter at night
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا، وَكَفَانَا وَآوَانَا، فَكَمْ مِمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِيَ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi at‘amana wa saqana, wa kafana wa awana, fa-kam mimman la kafiya lahu wa la mu’wi.
Praise be to Allah who fed us, gave us drink, sufficed us and sheltered us; how many have no one to suffice or shelter them.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Praise for all His gifts
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَفَانِي وَآوَانِي، وَأَطْعَمَنِي وَسَقَانِي، وَالَّذِي مَنَّ عَلَيَّ فَأَفْضَلَ، وَالَّذِي أَعْطَانِي فَأَجْزَلَ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ، اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، وَإِلَهَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi kafani wa awani, wa at‘amani wa saqani, walladhi manna ‘alayya fa-afdal, walladhi a‘tani fa-ajzal, alhamdu lillahi ‘ala kulli hal. Allahumma rabba kulli shay’in wa malikah, wa ilaha kulli shay’, a‘udhu bika minan-nar.
Praise be to Allah who sufficed me and sheltered me, fed me and gave me drink, who favoured me generously and gave me abundantly. Praise be to Allah in every state. O Allah, Lord and Owner of everything, God of everything, I seek refuge in You from the Fire.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
Surah al-Kafirun before sleeping
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
Qul ya ayyuhal-kafirun, la a‘budu ma ta‘budun, wa la antum ‘abiduna ma a‘bud, wa la ana ‘abidum-ma ‘abadtum, wa la antum ‘abiduna ma a‘bud, lakum dinukum wa liya din.
Say: O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship, nor do you worship what I worship… To you your religion and to me mine. “Recite it and then sleep at its end, for it is freedom from shirk.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
Surah al-Mulk every night
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ … (إلى آخر السورة)
Tabarakal-ladhi bi-yadihil-mulku wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir, alladhi khalaqal-mawta wal-hayata li-yabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu ‘amala, wa huwal-‘azizul-ghafur … (to the end of the surah)
Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and He has power over all things; who created death and life to test which of you is best in deeds… “A surah of thirty verses that interceded for a man until he was forgiven.”
Source: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
On waking with health
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي فِي جَسَدِي، وَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ رُوحِي، وَأَذِنَ لِي بِذِكْرِهِ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ‘afani fi jasadi, wa radda ‘alayya ruhi, wa adhina li bi-dhikrih.
Praise be to Allah who gave health to my body, returned my soul to me and permitted me to remember Him.
Source: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
On rising for the night prayer
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ … (إلى آخر السورة)
Inna fi khalqis-samawati wal-ardi wakhtilafil-layli wan-nahari la-ayatil-li-ulil-albab, alladhina yadhkurunallaha qiyaman wa qu‘udan wa ‘ala junubihim wa yatafakkaruna fi khalqis-samawati wal-ard … (to the end of the surah)
In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are signs for people of understanding… He recited the last ten verses of Al ‘Imran when he woke at night.
Source: Qur’an 3:190-200; Sahih al-Bukhari
Sleeping as worship
The Prophet ﷺ advised sleeping in wudu on the right side and reciting the adhkar of sleep. He would not sleep until he had recited Surah al-Mulk and as-Sajdah (at-Tirmidhi) and advised al-Kafirun as freedom from shirk (Abu Dawud).
On waking at night he looked at the sky and recited the last verses of Al ‘Imran (al-Bukhari), a beautiful start to the night prayer.
More Sunnahs for Bedtime and the Night: questions and answers
What if I fall asleep before the adhkar?
Say them when you remember; whoever intends to pray at night and is overcome by sleep is still rewarded (an-Nasa’i).
Is reciting al-Mulk at night confirmed?
Yes, its virtue is reported by at-Tirmidhi and others with an acceptable chain.