Duas Before Sleep: What the Prophet ﷺ Recited at Night
It's late. The phone is finally face-down, the room is dark, and at the edge of sleep you remember there's something you're meant to recite. Ayat al-Kursi? The three Quls? Was it three times, or once?
The Prophet ﷺ had a way of going to bed, and his companions passed it on in detail. Here it is from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, in the order you'd actually do it. No single hadith lists them all in sequence, so the order is practical, with one fixed point: the dua in step six comes last.
1. Make wudu, as you would for prayer
Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib reported that the Prophet ﷺ told him: when you go to bed, make wudu as you do for prayer, then lie on your right side and say a particular dua. If you die that night, you die upon the fitrah, the natural state of faith (Sahih al-Bukhari 247).
Scholars treat this wudu as recommended rather than required, so if you're already under the covers, say everything below anyway.
2. Blow the three Quls into your hands
Aisha said that every night, when he went to bed, he brought his palms together, blew lightly into them and recited Surah Al-Ikhlas (112), Surah Al-Falaq (113) and Surah An-Nas (114). Then he wiped them over as much of his body as he could, beginning with his head and face. He did this three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ
Qul huwa-llahu ahad. Allahu-s-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4
قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَٰتِ فِي ٱلۡعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Qul a'udhu bi-rabbil-falaq. Min sharri ma khalaq. Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab. Wa min sharrin-naffathati fil-'uqad. Wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad.
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, From the evil of that which He created, And from the evil of darkness when it settles, And from the evil of the blowers in knots, And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Al-Falaq 113:1-5
قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
Qul a'udhu bi-rabbin-nas. Malikin-nas. Ilahin-nas. Min sharril-waswasil-khannas. Alladhi yuwaswisu fi sudurin-nas. Minal-jinnati wan-nas.
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer, Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind, From among the jinn and mankind."
An-Nas 114:1-6
Scholars differ on whether the blowing comes before or after reciting; many people recite, blow, then wipe. If someone did this over you as a child, you already know this sunnah. Tonight you do it for yourself, seeking refuge from "the evil of darkness when it settles" at the hour it settles.
3. Recite Ayat al-Kursi
Abu Hurayrah was guarding the zakat of Ramadan when a man came three nights running to take from it. On the third night, caught again, he offered a trade: recite Ayat al-Kursi when you go to bed, and a guardian from Allah will stay with you, and no devil will come near you until morning. The Prophet ﷺ said, "He told you the truth, though he is a habitual liar." The visitor had been a devil (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010).
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ
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 whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] 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.
Al-Baqarah 2:255
Read one line slowly tonight: "Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep." You are about to do the one thing He never does. For the transliteration, see Ayat al-Kursi: meaning and when to recite it.
4. The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah
Abu Mas'ud al-Badri reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will be enough for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009, Sahih Muslim 807). Scholars differ on what "enough" means: protection until morning, a stand-in for night prayer, or both.
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٖ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦۚ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَاۖ غُفۡرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرٗا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Al-Baqarah 2:285-286
It's a kind way to end a day in which you fell short somewhere: "Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity." Including today. Transliteration: The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah.
5. SubhanAllah 33, Alhamdulillah 33, Allahu akbar 34
Grinding grain on a hand-mill had marked Fatimah's hands, and she went to ask her father ﷺ for a servant. He came that night, after she and Ali had lain down, and sat between them, so close that Ali felt the coolness of his feet on his chest. Then he said: shall I not teach you something better than what you asked for? When you go to bed, say Allahu akbar thirty-four times, SubhanAllah thirty-three times and Alhamdulillah thirty-three times. That is better for you than a servant (Sahih al-Bukhari 3705, Sahih Muslim 2727).
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ · الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ · اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
SubhanAllah (33) · Alhamdulillah (33) · Allahu akbar (34)
"Glory be to Allah" · "All praise is for Allah" · "Allah is the Greatest"
Sahih al-Bukhari 3705, Sahih Muslim 2727
Narrations differ on the order; most people say SubhanAllah 33, Alhamdulillah 33, Allahu akbar 34. In one narration in al-Bukhari, Ali said he never left it after that night, not even on the night of Siffin. If you're going to bed worn out, it was first taught to someone tired too.
6. Lie on your right side and say the last words
Now lie on your right side. Hudhayfah reported that when the Prophet ﷺ wanted to sleep, he would say:
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.
"In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live."
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324
And on waking, in the same hadith, he said the other half:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.
"All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after He had caused us to die, and to Him is the rising."
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324
Last, the dua from Al-Bara's hadith, which he was told to make his final words:
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
Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilayka, wa fawwadtu amri ilayka, wa alja'tu zahri ilayka, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka. La malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilayka. Allahumma amantu bi-kitabika-lladhi anzalta, wa bi-nabiyyika-lladhi arsalta.
"O Allah, I have submitted my face to You, entrusted my affairs to You and leaned my back on You, in hope of You and in awe of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except to You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You sent down, and in Your Prophet whom You sent."
Sahih al-Bukhari 247
When Al-Bara' repeated it back as "and Your Messenger," the Prophet ﷺ corrected him: "and Your Prophet whom You sent." Other narrations in al-Bukhari begin "Allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilayka" and add "wa wajjahtu wajhi ilayka"; that wording is authentic too.
Read the meaning once with attention and you'll see why it comes last. You hand over your face, your affairs, your back. Nothing is left to manage. Then you sleep.
A three-minute version for tonight
All of this takes about six minutes at a calm pace. On nights you have less in you, this takes about three:
- Wudu when you brush your teeth.
- The three Quls, sitting on your bed: recite into cupped hands, blow lightly, wipe over your head, face and body. Three rounds, about two minutes.
- Ayat al-Kursi, once. About forty seconds.
- On your right side, say "Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya," then "Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilayka…" as your last words. About twenty seconds.
Add the end of Al-Baqarah and the 33-33-34 when you can. If you don't know the Arabic yet, read from your phone, then turn it face-down; a nightly routine is how memory comes. Many people also read Surah Al-Mulk (67) at night: Why Muslims read Surah Al-Mulk every night.
For the quiet minutes before sleep
Sereni gives you one quiet minute with the Quran each day — a verse, a hadith and a dua — chosen for whatever you’re carrying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need wudu to say the duas before sleep?
No. Wudu before bed is a sunnah (Sahih al-Bukhari 247) and worth the effort, but it isn't a condition for remembering Allah. If you're already in bed, say the duas anyway.
Can I recite Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls during my period?
Scholars differ on reciting the Quran during menstruation. Many allow verses like these with the intention of remembrance and protection; others are stricter, so follow the scholar you trust. The duas and the 33-33-34 are dhikr, which scholars agree you can say.
Which side should I sleep on?
The right side. The Prophet ﷺ told Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib to lie on his right side and then say the final dua (Sahih al-Bukhari 247). Nothing in the narration asks you to stay there all night.
What if I fall asleep halfway through?
Then you drifted off while remembering Allah, which is a gentle way to fall asleep. If it keeps happening, recite the Quls and Ayat al-Kursi sitting up, and keep the last dua for when you lie down.
Keep reading: Ayat al-Kursi: meaning, translation and when to recite it · Why Muslims read Surah Al-Mulk every night · Duas for anxiety and stress