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Surah al-Sajdah & Surah al-Mulk

(.الٓمٓ تَنْزِيْلُ… (سورة السجدة) & تَبَارَكَ الَّذِيْ… (سورة الملك

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The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited [the above two Sūrahs]. (Tirmidhī 3404)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A Sūrah from the Qur’ān containing 30 verses will intercede for a man until he is forgiven. It is Sūrah al-Mulk.” (Tirmidhī 2891)

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that whoever reads Sūrah al-Mulk every night, Allah will protect him from the punishment of the grave. He said: “At the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we used to call it ‘al-māni‘ah’ (the protector). Indeed there is a Sūrah in the Book of Allah [i.e. this Sūrah]; whoever recites it every night has done very well.” (Nasā’ī in ‘Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah 711)

Explanation coming soon…

Ayat al-Kursi: Exclusive Protection

أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ.

اَللّٰهُ لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ ، لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَّلَا نَوْمٌ ، لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِىْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ، يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيْهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ، وَلَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ، وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، وَلَا يَئُوْدُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ، وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيْمُ.

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I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Shayṭān. Allah, there is no god worthy of worship but He, the Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation does not tire Him. And He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (2:255)

Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi mina-sh-Shayṭāni-r-rajīm. Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa-l-Ḥayyu-l-Qayyūm, lā ta’khudhuhū sinatuw-wa lā nawm, lahū mā fi-s-samāwāti wa mā fi-l-arḍ, man dhā’lladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahū illā bi-idhnih, yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum, wa lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shay’im-min ʿilmihī illā bi-mā shā’, wasiʿa kursiyyuhu-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ, wa lā ya’ūduhū ḥifẓuhumā wa Huwa-l-ʿAlliyu-l-ʿAẓīm.

Ubayy b. Kaʿb (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reported that he had a vessel in which he kept dates. He found that its quantity was decreasing. So he kept guard on it one night and saw a creature that resembled an adolescent boy. Ubayy greeted him and he returned his greeting. Ubayy then asked him, “What are you, a jinnī or a human?” He replied, “A jinnī.” So he said to him, “Show me your hand.” So he showed him his hand, and it looked like a dog’s paw with dog’s fur. He said, “This is how the jinn are created. The jinn know that there is no one amongst them who is stronger than me.”

Ubayy asked him, “What caused you to do what you did?” He replied, “We heard that you are a man who loves charity, and we came to take our share from your food.’” Ubayy asked him, “What will protect us from you?” He replied, “Reading Āyah al-Kursī from Sūrah al-Baqarah [i.e. the verse above]. If you read it in the morning, you will be protected from us till the evening. And if you read it in the evening, you will be protected from us till the morning.”

Ubayy said: “The following morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and told him about what had happened. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The evil one spoke the truth.” (Ḥākim 2108)

Brief Commentary

• Āyah al-Kursī begins with ‘Allah’. According to many scholars, ‘Allah’ is the Greatest Name of Allah, and is the most frequently mentioned Name in the Qur’ān, appearing over 2,500 times.

• ‘Allah’ refers to **the One who is adored and worshipped**. Thus, the āyah begins by establishing the greatest truth: that Allah is the sole being that deserves to be worshipped.

• It then describes Allah as the “Ever Living (al-Ḥayy)”: The one who has all the attributes of life in the most complete form e.g. hearing, seeing, knowing, power etc. Al-Ḥayy is the one who will never die, and nor is He touched by even the ‘smaller death’ (sleep). His life is absolutely perfect, and He alone gives life.

• Since He alone is the absolute source of life, and possesses the attributes of perfect life, it only makes sense that He alone is “**The Sustainer of all** (al-Qayyūm)”. Al-Qayyūm is the one who maintains all; but needs none to maintain Him. Everything within the heavens and the earth is dependent on Allah and needs Him to sustain and manage their existence. He, however, is completely Self-Sustaining, and independent of any of His creation.

• Whoever needs to sleep will always be deficient in maintaining and sustaining the affairs of His subjects. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep” (Muslim). Not only does Allah not sleep, he does not even feel drowsy: ‘**Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep**.’ This is also very comforting, as we do not need to worry about the heavens and planets falling on us, or to worry that He may be unavailable when we may need Him.

• ‘**To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth**’: Allah is the Master and Owner of all. He is the Owner and King of everything in the heavens and the earth. **Nothing happens in this world except that Allah has willed it**. Everything is subject to His will and decree. We are only custodians of what we have been given, not the true owners.

Once we firmly believe that what we own is only a loan from Allah for a limited time, we will feel content and humble. We will empty our hearts from greed and stop chasing worldly pleasures. Whether we are tested with wealth or poverty, our hearts will remain attached to the True Owner of the heavens and the earth: Allah. This part of the verse also grants believers solace, as they know who to turn to for all their needs.

• After mentioning His ownership and complete dominion, Allah says, ‘**Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission?**’ This further explains Allah’s oneness and uniqueness. No one even comes close to sharing His power and will. Only those He will give permission to on the Day of Judgement (such as our beloved Messenger ﷺ) will be allowed to intercede.

• ‘**He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills**’: Allah’s knowledge is not just limited to the present. It also encompasses the past, and extends to the future.

This belief should fill our hearts with awe and fear, as everything we do is within Allah’s knowledge. Likewise, it should make us content with our decree, as it was decreed by the One Who knows how things will develop in the future.

• All the technological advancements that we see now are only due to Allah granting us the permission to encompass this knowledge. Thus, we should always remain humble, and thankful to Allah.

• We are then introduced to one of Allah’s greatest creations, allowing us to ponder on Allah’s greatness: ‘**His Kursī (footstool) extends over the heavens and the earth**’: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The seven heavens in comparison to the Kursī is nothing but like a ring thrown in a desert, and the excellence of the Throne of Allah over the Kursī is like the excellence of that desert over that ring.” (Bayhaqī)

Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. However we can attempt to appreciate His Greatness by pondering over His creation. When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we arive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

• By knowing this, it is then no surprise that ‘**their preservation tires Him not**’ as the heavens and the earth are insignificant in size to Him. Allah cares for and provides sustenance to billions of beasts and creatures: those that crawl in the land, those that swim in the ocean, and those that fly in the sky. And yet, He never becomes tired.

• The ending ‘**And He is the Most High, the Magnificent**’ perfectly summarises the verse, as the whole verse is describing the greatness of Allah. These are two of the majestic Names of Allah. Allah is Great in Himself. All of His Names and Attributes are great and most perfect. Allah is Great in His might, and Great in His knowledge. Everything that He does is Great. Allah is far, far above any weakness or defect. No one can overpower Him, and He is Greater than anything we can imagine.

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**Benefits & Action Points**

*The Greatest Ayah*

• The main theme of all of the morning and evening adhkār is **tawḥīd** (the Oneness of Allah), and at the forefront is Āyah al-Kursī.

• Āyah al-Kursī is the greatest verse of the Qur’ān. This is because it beautifully describes who Allah is. **The most majestic verses in the Qur’ān are the verses that talk about Allah**, as there is no topic of discussion which is more grandiose, more majestic and more beautiful than Allah (ʿazza wa jall). The āyah starts off with one word ‘Allah’; and then goes on to mention 20+ of Allah’s Names and Attributes.

• Āyah al-Kursī is a gift to us from Allah, our Creator and Master. We were created to worship and know Allah; and in just a few lines He has perfectly summarised to us who He is, including His Greatness, His Power, His Knowledge, His Kingdom, and **ultimately His Oneness**. There is nothing on earth that will teach us about Allah better than this āyah.

• lbn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes, “By Allah, if an intelligent believer recited Sūrah al-Hadīd, the end of Sūrah al-Hashr, Ayah al-Kursī, and Surah al-Ikhlās with **deep thought** and **contemplation**, his heart would burst open out of the awe (of Allah), and he would be baffled by His Greatness.”

• Āyah al-Kursī contains the **Greatest Names of Allah** (al-Ḥayy and al-Qayyūm), as mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ (Abū Dāwūd). When we ask Allah by these Names, our duʿas are accepted.

• Āyah al-Kursī has a tongue and two lips that glorify Allah at the leg of the Allah’s Throne (as reported in Aḥmad).

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**Recite it 8x a Day**

• Memorise this verse and recite it every day. It is sunnah to recite Āyah al-Kursī every day:

1) **Before sleeping**: “When you lie down in your bed, recite Āyah al-Kursī from beginning to end; a guardian angel will stay by you and no devil will approach you, until you wake up in the morning” (Bukhārī).

2) **After every farḍ prayer**: “Whoever reads [Āyah al-Kursī] after every obligatory prayer, there is nothing that will prevent him from entering Paradise except death” (Nasā’ī).

3) **In the morning and evening**: “Reading Āyah al-Kursī from Sūrah al-Baqarah. If you read it in the morning, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the evening. And if you read it in the evening, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the morning” (Ḥākim).

• By reading this verse a multiple number of times daily, we refresh our knowledge of Allah, renew our īmān in Him, and affirm His Oneness.

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**A Powerful Source of Protection**

• A great portion of the morning and evening duʿās revolve around asking Allah for protection. By starting off the adhkār with Āyah al-Kursī, we begin to appreciate the **greatness of Allah**. This should help us to be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the adhkār.

• Āyah al-Kursī is one of the strongest means of protection from the devils. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “In Sūrah al-Baqarah, there is a verse which is the best verse of the Qur’ān. **It is never recited in a house except that the Shaytān leaves**: it is Āyah al-Kursī” (Ḥākim).

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**Living by Āyat al-Kursī**

• By knowing that the entire universe belongs to Allah and that He possesses the ultimate power and knowledge, we **rely** only on Him. Knowing that He always takes care of us and is the Perfect Manager of the entire creation makes us **love** Him and place our **hope** in Him.

• Since He is the Magnificent, we are in **awe** of Him and always **humble** ourselves to Him. He is the Only one who possesses all of these unique attributes, so we **submit** ourselves to Him and **worship Him** Alone.

Last Two Ayahs of Surah al-Baqarah: Will Suffice You

أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ.

اٰمَنَ الرَّسُوْلُ بِمَآ أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ ، كُلٌّ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ، لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْ رُّسُلِهِ ، وَقَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ. لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ، لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ، رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِنْ نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ، وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ، أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكٰـفِرِيْنَ.

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I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Shayṭān. 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, His angels, 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.” (2:285-6)

Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi mina-sh-Shayṭāni-r-rajīm. Āmana-r-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi mi-r-rabbihī wa-l-mu’minūn, kullun āmana bi-l-llāhi wa malā’ikatihī wa kutubihī wa rusulih, lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadim-mi-r-rusulih, wa qālū samiʿnā wa aṭaʿnā ghufrānaka Rabbanā wa ilayka-l-maṣīr. Lā yukallifu-l-llāhu nafsan illā wusʿahā, lahā mā kasabat wa ʿalayhā ma-ktasabat, Rabbanā lā tuākhidhnā i-n-nasīnā aw akhṭa’nā, Rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣran kamā ḥamaltahū ʿala-l-ladhīna min qablinā, Rabbanā wa lā tuḥammilnā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bih, waʿfu ʿannā wa-ghfir lanā war-ḥamnā, Anta Mawlānā fan-ṣurnā ʿala-l-qawmi-l-kāfirīn.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever recites the last two verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.” (Bukhārī 4008, 807)

Explanation coming soon…

Surah al-Kafirun: Negation of Shirk

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.

قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُوْنَ ، لَآ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ، وَلَآ أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُوْنَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ، وَلَآ أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ ، وَلَآ أَنْتُم عَابِدُوْنَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ ، لَكُمْ دِيْنُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِيْنِ.

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In the name of Allah,the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say: O disbelievers, I worship not that which you worship. And nor do you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your religion, and to me my religion. (109)
Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul yā ayyuha-l-kāfirūn, lā aʿbudu mā taʿbudūn, wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud, wa lā ana ʿābidūm-mā ʿabat-tum, wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud, lakum dīnukum waliya dīn.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Recite [the above] then go to sleep at the end of it, for it is a disavowal of polytheism.” (Tirmidhī 3403)

Explanation coming soon…

The Three Quls/Muʿawwidhat

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.

قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ ، اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ، لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ.

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.

قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ.

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.

قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ، مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ، إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ، اَلَّذِيْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِيْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ ، مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ.

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In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, He is Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal. (112)
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, I seek protection of the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of the darkening night when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envies. (113)
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, I seek protection of the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, who whispers in the hearts of mankind, whether they be Jinn or people. (114)
Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul Huwa-llāhu Aḥad. Allāhu-ṣ-Ṣamad. Lam yalid wa lam yūlad. Wa lam yakul-lahū kufuwan aḥad. Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul aʿūdhu bi Rabbi-l-falaq. Min sharri mā khalaq. Wa min sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqab. Wa min sharri-n-naffāthāti fi-l-ʿuqad. Wa min sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasad.
Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul aʿūdhu bi rabbi-n-nās. Maliki-n-nās. Ilāh-hin-nās. Min sharri-l-waswāsi-l-khannās. Al-ladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri-n-nās. Mina-l-jinnati wa-n-nās.

‘Ā’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ retired to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and then blow into them. He would recite [the above Sūrahs] into them. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. (Bukhārī 5017)

**Brief Commentary (Surah al-Ikhlas)**
 
• Sūrah al-Ikhlās is a perfect summary and description of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā).
 
• **“Allah”** is the One who is adored and worshipped. The Name ‘Allah’ includes all of His majestic and beautiful qualities and attributes.
 
• The Sūrah begins by affirming that Allah is **“One”**. He is Unique in His Perfection, in His Most Beautiful Names and Perfect Lofty Attributes, and He is Unique in His Perfect Deeds. There is nothing like Him.
 
• The Arabic word used in the Sūrah to affirm that Allah is **“One”** (Aḥad) also carries the meaning of “only” i.e. His oneness is unique, and there is none like Him.
 
• In the next verse, Allah describes Himself as “al-Ṣamad”. Al-Ṣamad is the Perfect Master, the One who the whole creation turns to for the fulfilment of their needs. He needs no one, but everyone needs Him, and are fully dependent on Him. He is Perfect in His knowledge, mercy, wisdom, power, honour and glory. Since He is perfect, He doesn’t need anyone, as nothing they can do can benefit or harm Him. He does not feel hunger nor thirst. He is the Everlasting who will never perish. To Him and Him alone are all prayers and supplications addressed. He and only He decides everything independently, and no one shares His authority.
 
• The people of Quraysh wanted to know the lineage of Allah, so He clarified to them in this Sūrah that **“He has not given birth and was not born”** i.e. He does not have a parent or child. When one has a parent, this shows they needed someone to cause them to be brought into existence. And when one has a child, this shows they need someone to assist them or to carry their lineage, and that this person is similar to His father. Since all of these points contradict the quality of Allah being “**al-Ṣamad**”, it is only befitting that Allah is free from them.
 
• Anything that is born is ‘dependent’. And anything which is ‘dependent’ cannot be divine, and therefore does not deserve to be worshipped.
 
• “**And to whom no one is equal**”: This last verse is a summary of the previous verses in that there is none like Allah, and that He has the most perfect and complete attributes. No one resembles Him in anything or is equivalent to Him in any respect.
 
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**Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Ikhlas)**
 
• We recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ (for the morning and evening adhkar) first because we praise Allah through it. Similar to when making duʿā’, we praise Allah first and then make our requests. Here, we are praising Allah through Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, and then following up with the next two Sūrahs (**al Mu’awwidhatayn**), which consist of requests. Similarly, by starting off with Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we develop certainty (yaqīn) that Allah is truly the only One who can help us.
 
• This Sūrah outlines, in the clearest of terms, the principal and most fundamental ideas of the great truth of Islam: **The Oneness of Allah**.
 
• This Sūrah covers some of the most fundamental points of Islamic creed. It counters all false claims and allegations made by humans across the centuries in relation to knowing Allah, despite its brevity.
 
• The 1st verse affirms Allah’s Oneness. The 2nd verse affirms His Perfection. The 3rd verse affirms His being Eternal, without a beginning or end, negating any parents or children. And the last verse affirms His Greatness and Uniqueness, negating any rivals or companions.
 
• This Sūrah is about the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah. When we understand that Allah Alone possesses these qualities, it only makes sense that we worship Him Alone. We love Him above everyone and everything else, we only fear Him, and we submit to Him.
 
• When we free ourselves from believing in anything but Allah, and uphold this everlasting truth, we begin to enjoy freedom from all shackles, false ideas, evil desires, fears and confusions of any sort.
 
• As with Āyat al-Kursī, this Sūrah deals with the greatness of Allah. It is included in the morning and evening adhkār to stir appreciation for the greatness of Allah, thereby helping the person be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the duʿās.
 
• This Sūrah affirms that we are all in need of Allah, and that He can fulfill all of our needs. Reflect over this when reciting this Sūrah to set yourself in the right frame of mind for making the subsequent adhkār.
 
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**Virtues of Surah al-Ikhlas**
 
• Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is equivalent to one third of the Qur’ān. Whoever recites it ten times, Allah will build a palace for him in Paradise.
 
• Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ leads to Paradise. There was a Companion (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who would lead the prayer and would always recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ in every rakʿah of ṣalāh, and then follow it up with reciting from elsewhere.  When the Messenger ﷺ asked him why he did this, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed I love it.” He ﷺ said, “Your love for it will admit you into Paradise” (Tirmidhī).
 
• Another companion did something similar. When the Messenger ﷺ told his companions to ask him why he did this, he replied, “**Because it is the description of al-Raḥmān, and I love to recite it**.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Inform him that Allah loves him.”
 
• Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ also contains the Greatest Names of Allah (ism Allah al-Aʿẓam). Buraydah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard a man saying:
**اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّيْ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِيْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
***“O Allah, I ask You as I bear witness that You are Allah, there is no god but You, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal.” *
 
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked: “By the One in Whose Hand is my life, He has certainly asked Allah with His Greatest Name; when He is supplicated by it, He responds, and when asked, He gives” (Tirmidhī).
 
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**Brief Commentary (Surah al-Falaq)**
 
• “**I seek protection**”: Istiʿādhah (seeking protection) is an act of the heart. When seeking protection with Allah, we are: (1) throwing ourselves in front of Him, displaying our need of Him, and (2) submitting and humbling ourselves in front of Him. Istiʿādhah is an acknowledgment of Allah’s ultimate power, and the human being’s weakness and inability to combat evil by himself.
 
• We seek protection from the “**Lord (Rabb)** of the daybreak.” Rabb is a special Name of Allah which fills our hearts with gratitude, love and comfort. Rabb is the One who nurtures, nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. He is The Owner, The Master, The Creator and Provider. Rabb is the one who regulates our affairs, protecting us and granting us endless blessings.
 
• ‘**Daybreak**’ is when darkness departs, and daylight overcomes. Daylight, which represents the beginning of the day, pushes the evil elements of the night away. The filthy, the criminals and the debased return to their hideouts.
 
• By reminding ourselves that Allah is the Lord of the daybreak, who erases and replaces darkness with daylight, He too can erase the difficulties in our lives and bring us ease.
 
• We seek refuge from four things in this sūrah:
 
• (1) We seek refuge in Allah “**from the evil of what He has created**”. We remind ourselves that this harm is within the creation of Allah, and therefore we feel at peace knowing that Allah is able to protect us from it as it is under His authority.
 
• Nothing falls outside the creation of Allah, so we have sought refuge from all forms of evil.
 
• 2) After seeking refuge from general evil, we seek refuge from a specific evil: “**from the evil of the darkening night when it settles**”. At night, the devils spread and are more active. The night provides cover in which evil forces can operate without being detected (e.g. thieves), and one is more likely to be attacked by harmful animals. Moreover, when you are alone at night, anxieties and worries can deepen, leading to insomnia and paranoia.
 
• 3) Then we seek refuge in Allah from those “**who blow on knots**” i.e. magic. Instead of fearing magicians, we should seek protection in Allah through this powerful Sūrah.
 
• This verse is linked to the next verse. The root cause of why people do magic is envy.
 
• 4) The last thing we seek refuge in Allah from in this Sūrah is the envy of others, including the evil eye, which something that can have an adverse effect on us.
 
• This also remind us that we shouldn’t be envious of others or wish evil for them.
 
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**Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Falaq)**
 
• When we seek Allah’s protection (istiʿādhah), we kill our own ego, and instead express our servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) to Allah and express our dire need of Him.
 
• This Sūrah, along with Sūrah al-Nās contain a command from Allah, to take refuge in Him and seek His protection in the face of any source of fear, subtle or apparent, known or unknown. It is as if Allah is kindly and affectionately calling on His servants to resort to His care through which they will feel safe and at peace.
 
• When you say you seek refuge in Allah, think about the state of refugees around the world: They leave the worst behind them to seek refuge elsewhere as they believe this place will save them from their current state. This is how we should feel when we seek refuge in Allah; that we are doomed without His refuge and cannot live without it.
 
• When we recited Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we referred to Allah as ‘al-Ṣamad’: the One whom we all depend on; this Sūrah teaches us **how** to depend on Him.
 
• In this Sūrah, we seek refuge in Allah from **external** sources of harm, such as the devils and the envy of others. In Sūrah al-Nās, we seek refuge in Allah from **internal** sources of harm. These two surahs together therefore are a formidable form of protection against all harm.
 
• Always recite this Sūrah with complete conviction in the protection that Allah can give you so that you can benefit the most from it.
 
• Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) writes, ‘The most beneficial cure for magic is what Allah ﷻ revealed to His Messenger ﷺ as a cure: Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “No seeker has sought protection with anything like them”’ (Abū Dāwūd).
 
• Envy is a destructive trait. Learn how to protect yourself from this disease.
 
• This Sūrah highlights the evil of envy and the harm it incurs. This harm reaches the victim by way of the envier’s evil self and sight, despite never having used his hands or tongue. Evil eye is a form of envy. The evil effect takes place when it is intentionally addressed through one’s eyes staring at the person envied. But the intensity of this effect differs according to the weakness of the victim and the power of the evil jealous self.
 
• Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The evil eye is an arrow, shot by the one who is jealous, hitting (the victim) sometimes and missing it sometimes. So, if the victim is uncovered and without the protection (of the adhkār), then he definitely will be affected by it. But if the victim is taking precaution (through the adhkār), then it will not affect him; rather it may happen that this arrow is returned back to the envier.”
 
 
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**The Virtues**
 
• The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you not see that there have been verses revealed to me tonight the like of which has not been seen before. They are (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās).” (Muslim)
 
• **Best Ruqyah**: ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) narrated that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would become sick, he would recite [the last 3 Sūrahs of the Qur’ān] and then blow over his body. She says: “During his last illness from which he passed away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to blow over himself. But when his sickness intensified, I used to (recite and then) blow on him (with these Sūrahs), and I would wipe his own hand (over him) because of its blessing” (Bukhārī). In another hadīth, she mentions that whenever anyone from his family would become ill, he ﷺ would blow over them with these three Sūrahs. (Muslim)
 
• **Best Protection**: Sūrah al-Nās and Sūrah al-Falaq are the best protection against envy, evil eye and the devils. Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek refuge in Allah from the jinn and the human evil eye until the Muʿawwidhatayn (Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās) were revealed. When they were revealed, he adopted them and abandoned everything else” (Tirmidhī). He ﷺ also said, “Shall I inform you of the best words with which you can seek Allah’s protection?” I said: “Yes.” He ﷺ said, “Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās.” (Aḥmad)
 
 
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**Brief Commentary (Surah al-Nas)**
 
• “**Lord of mankind**” is how Allah foremostly describes Himself. He is the Rabb, the One who creates, and then nurtures and protects all of us. He looks after our every affair. This verse affirms the Oneness of Allah through His Lordship.
 
• “**King of mankind**” is an attribute of Allah that follows on from Him being the Lord. He looks after all of our affairs, and this can only be done if He has full control and ownership over us.
 
• As Allah is the Lord and the King of mankind, it only makes sense that He alone is worshipped and is the True God: **“God of mankind”**. This verse therefore affirms the Oneness of Allah in terms of His [deserving of] worship.
 
• After praising Allah with three of His Attributes and affirming His true Oneness, we seek refuge from “**the evil of the retreating whisperer**” i.e. Shayṭān.
 
• Shayṭān is described as “**the retreating whisperer**”. This is because when a person is weak and forgets Allah, Shayṭān constantly whispers evil in his ear. However, when a person becomes strong and remembers Allah, Shayṭān hastily retreats, and is prevented from influencing him.
 
• The last verse in this surah clarifies that the ‘Shayṭān’ who leads us to evil is not always from the jinn, but can be from human ‘shayāṭīn’ (devils). They could be evil friends, the musicians we listen to, the celebrities we idolise and the media we consume.
 
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**Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Nas)**
 
• In this Sūrah, refuge is sought in the Lord, King and God of mankind from the sneaky whisperer, jinn or human, who prompts evil ideas in people’s minds. The mind on its own cannot shut out this invisible evil. It needs Allah, and the Sūrah tells us why it is only Allah who is able to do this: He is the Lord, who preserves, directs, cherishes and protects mankind. He is the King who owns, governs and independently runs the world. He is the God, the only True Being who deserves to be worshipped.
 
• Since Shayṭān knows that the heart is the essence of the person, he tries to constantly attack it with whispers, tempt him with desires, and glamourise for him evil words and actions. The only way we can be protected from his evil plots is through asking Allah for help and clinging on to Him.
 
• Allah gave Shayṭān the ability to affect and have direct contact with our hearts. Since this sneaking whisperer operates secretly and constantly suggests evil, we need to be more alert in order to confront it. The best way to confront it and make it ‘retreat’ is through the remembrance of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ quoting Prophet Yaḥyā (ʿalayhis-salām) said: “I command you to remember Allah. Verily, the parable of that is a man who goes forth while his enemies are fast upon him, and then he comes to a safe fortress, where he protects himself from them. In the same way, a servant will not protect himself against Shayṭān except by the dhikr of Allah” (Tirmidhī).
 
• Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from **external** sources of harm, and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from **internal** sources of harm, as following the whispers of Shayṭān will lead us to commit sins. In this way, we would cause ourselves to be harmed and punished.
 
• Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from the harms that we **cannot** control; and this surah teaches us to seek refuge from the harms that we **can** control.
 
• Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to **this life**; and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to the **hereafter**.
 
• In Sūrah al-Falaq, we seek refuge in Allah using one of His Attributes from **four different sources of evil**; but in this Sūrah we seek refuge in Allah using three of His Attributes from **one source of evil**. This teaches us that the harms related to the hereafter are far greater than those related to this life.
 
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**Three Powerful Surahs**
 
• It is Sunnah to recite these three Sūrahs three times in the morning and evening, three times before going to sleep, once after every ṣalāh, and when one is ill.
 
• Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) said, “These Sūrahs are extremely effective in repelling magic, evil eye, and the rest of the evils…The need for a slave to seek Allah’s protection with these Sūrahs is greater than his need for eating, drinking and clothes.”
Tasbih, Tahmid and Takbir

x33 – سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ. x33 – اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ. x34 – اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ.

(101x)

 
Allah is free from imperfection. All praise is for Allah. Allah is the Greatest.
Subḥāna-llāh. Alḥamdu li-llāh, Allāhu akbar.

Fātimah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him for a servant. He ﷺ said: “Shall I not tell you of something that is better for you than that? When you go to sleep, say: ‘Subhānallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times.’” (Bukhārī 3705)

Explanation coming soon…

Mercy & Protection

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّيْ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِيْ ، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِيْ فَارْحَمْهَا ، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِيْنَ.

(1x)

 
In Your Name my Lord, I lie down, and in Your Name, I rise. If You take my soul away then have mercy upon it, and if You return my soul then protect it with what you protect Your righteous servants with.
Bismika Rabbī waḍaʿtu jambī, wa bika arfaʿuh, in amsakta nafsī fa-r-ḥamhā, wa in arsaltahā, fa-ḥ-faẓhā bimā taḥfaẓu bihī ʿibādaka-s-sāliḥīn.

Abū Hurayra (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When any of you goes to bed, he should shake out his bed with the inside of his waist sheet, for he does not know what has come on to it after him, and then he should say: [the above].” (Bukhārī 6320)

Explanation coming soon…

Protection From Punishment

اَللّٰهُمَّ قِنِيْ عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ.

(3x)

 
O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day You resurrect Your servants.
Allāhumma qinī ʿadhābaka yawma tabʿathu ʿibādak.

Hafsah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā), the wife of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrates that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to go to sleep, he put his right hand under his cheek and would then say [the above] three times. (Abū Dāwūd 5045)

Explanation coming soon…

Thank Allah for Blessing You

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا ، وَكَفَانَا ، وَآوَانَا ، فَكَمْ مِّمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِيَ.

(1x)

 
All praise is for Allah, Who provided us food and drink and Who sufficed us and has sheltered us; for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them.
Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-l-ladhī aṭʿamanā wa saqānā, wa kafānā, wa āwānā, fakam-mim-man lā kāfīya lahū walā mu’wiy.

Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would retire to bed, he would say [the above]. (Muslim 2715)

Explanation coming soon…

Protect Yourself From the Four Evils

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيْكَهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِيْ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ سُوْءًا ، أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَىٰ مُسْلِمٍ.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Lord and Sovereign of everything; I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but You. I seek Your protection from the evil of my own self, from the evil of Shayṭān and from the evil of polytheism to which he calls,and from inflicting evil on myself, or bringing it upon a Muslim.

 

Allāhumma ʿālima-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, fāṭir-as-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi, rabba kulli shay’iw-wa malīkah, ash-hadu al-lā ilāha illā Anta, aʿūdhu bika min sharri nafsī wa min sharri-sh-shayṭāni wa shirkihī wa an aqtarifa ʿalā nafsī sū’an aw ajurrahū ilā muslim.

 

Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said: “O Messenger of Allah, instruct me what to say in morning and in the evening.” He said: “Say [the above].” (Composite: Tirmidhī 3392, 3529)

 

Brief Commentary

• We begin this duʿā’ by glorifying Allah and praising Him, as this is the etiquette (adab) of duʿā’. This increases the chances of having our duʿā’ answered.

• The praise of Allah begins by acknowledging His infinite knowledge as He knows what is hidden and what is apparent. The knowledge of Allah encompasses the past, the present, and the future. It includes what we can physically see, and that which is hidden from us.

• The praise of Allah then moves on to acknowledging His infinite power as He is the one who invented and created the heavens and the earth. The One who is able to create this magnificent creation is undoubtedly an All-Powerful Creator.

• As Allah is the one who knows everything and has created everything, it is only right that He is the Lord and King of everything. Thus, we mention and acknowledge this in the subsequent part of the duʿā’, after praising Him for His knowledge and power.

• ‘Rabb’ is the one who nurtures and looks after everything. If Allah is the Lord of everything, then this means that everything is dependent upon Him. This means that He alone should be worshipped. Thus, in the following part of the duʿā’, we testify that there is none worthy of worship but Him.

• After praising Allah and acknowledging our dependence on Him, we begin to ask Him our needs:

• Our first request is that Allah saves us from the evil of our own nafs (inner self). We seek refuge in Allah from our ‘inner self’ (nafs), even though our nafs is a part of us. So how can it be our enemy? Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Beware of your nafs (inner self), for you have not been faced with a tribulation except due to it. Do not make peace with it, for by Allah you do not honour it if you do not degrade it. You do not give it respect if you do not humiliate it. You do not give it strength if you do not break it. You do not give it rest if you do not tire it. You do not give it safety if you do not frighten it, and you do not give it happiness if you do not make it sad.”

• The statement of Ibn al-Qayyim can be understood when one considers that the life of the soul does not end at death. Rather it journeys on to the Hereafter. If you resist the temptations of your nafs (inner self) in this world, tomorrow you will enjoy eternal bliss, success and peace in the hereafter inshā’Allah.

• There are two sources of evil: (1) the evil which emanates from our own ‘nafs’ (inner self), and (2) the evil which results from the whispers of Shayṭān. In this duʿā’, we seek refuge in Allah from both of these sources of evil.

• The recipients of the evil are also two: (1) ourselves, and (2) others. Thus, in the last part of the duʿā’, we seek refuge in Allah from bringing harm to either recipient.

• Thus, we see the comprehensiveness of the Prophet’s words in this duʿā’, as he sought protection from these four components of evil, through just a few words.

• We seek protection ‘from the evil of Shaytān and from the evil of polytheism to which he calls’, as shirk (polytheism) is one of Shayṭān’s greatest objectives: to ensure we associate partners with Allah, and thereby join him to burn for eternity in Hell-fire.

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Action Points

• This duʿā’ begins with a lengthy praise of Allah, signifying the importance of the request being made. Thus, we should focus on what is being requested from Allah and ensure we mean it from our heart.

• The main request in this duʿā’ is to ensure we do not commit evil and harm ourselves or others.

• The two sources of evil identified in this duʿā’ are: the nafs (inner self) and Shayṭān. We can avoid the evil of our nafs by treating it as Ibn al- Qayyim advised us above; and we can avoid the evil of Shayṭān by ensuring we constantly seek refuge in Allah from Shayṭān, and by maintaining the morning and evening adhkār.

Protection from Evil and Settling of Debts

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَرَبَّ الأَرْضِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَىٰ ، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيْلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُوْنَكَ شَيْءٌ ، اِقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the Magnificent Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the date stone, Revealer of the Torah, the Injīl and the Criterion (Qur’ān); I seek Your protection from the evil of every thing You hold by the forehead. You are the First and there is nothing before You. You are the Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High and there is nothing above You. You are the Most Near and nothing is closer than You; settle our debts for us and spare us from poverty.
Allāhumma Rabb-as-samāwāti wa Rabba-l-arḍi wa Rabba-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿaẓīm, Rabbanā wa Rabba kulli shay’, fāliqa-l-ḥabbi wa-n-nawā, wa munzila-t-tawrāti wa-l-injīli wa-l-furqān, aʿūdhu bika min sharri kulli shay’in Anta ākhidhun bi-nāṣiyatih, Allāhumma Anta-l-Awwalu fa-laysa qablaka shay’, wa Anta-l-Ākhiru fa-laysa baʿdaka shay’, wa Anta-ẓ- Ẓāhiru fa-laysa fawqaka shay’, wa Anta-l-Bāṭinu fa-laysa dūnaka shay’, iqḍi ʿanna-d-dayna wa aghninā mina-l-faqr.

Suhayl (raḥimahullāh) reported that Abū Ṣālih (raḥimahullāh) used to command us: “When any one of you intends to go to sleep, he should lie on the bed on his right side and then say [the above]. Abū Sālih used to narrate it from Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) who narrated it from Messenger of Allah ﷺ. (Muslim 2713)

Explanation coming soon…

Ask Allah to Protect You From Evil

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ ، وَكَلِمَاتِكَ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ تَكْشِفُ الْمَغْرَمَ وَالْمَأْثَمَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا يُهْزَمُ جُنْدُكَ ، وَلَا يُخْلَفُ وَعْدُكَ ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ ، سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, I seek protection by Your Noble Countenance and by Your perfect words from the evil of all that You hold by the forehead. O Allah, it is You who removes debt and sin. O Allah, Your army is never defeated and Your promise is never broken. The wealth of the wealthy does not avail them against You. You are free from imperfection, and to You belongs all praise.
Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bi wajhika-l-karīm, wa kalimātika-t-tāmmati min sharri mā Anta ākhidhun bi nāṣiyatih, Allāhumma Anta takshifu-l-maghrama wa-l-ma’tham, Allāhumma lā yuhzamu junduk, wa lā yukhlafu waʿduk, wa lā yanfaʿu dha-l-jaddi minka-l-jadd, subḥānaka wa bi-ḥamdik.

ʿAlī b. Abī Tālib (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah used to say [the above] when he retired to bed. (Abū Dāwūd 5052)

Explanation coming soon…

Protection, Well-being and Forgiveness

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِيْ وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا ، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا ، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا ، وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَة.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, verily You have created my soul and You shall take its life. To You Alone belongs its life and death. If You keep my soul alive then protect it, and if You take it away, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You to grant me well-being.
Allāhumma innaka khalaqta nafsī wa Anta tawaffāhā, laka mamātuhā wa maḥyāhā, in aḥyaytahā fa-ḥfaẓhā, wa in amattahā fa-ghfir lahā, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyah.

ʿAbdullah b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrates that he instructed a man to say [the above] when going to sleep. The man asked him: ‘Did you hear this from ʿUmar?’ He replied: ‘Someone better than ʿUmar; from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ (Aḥmad 5502)

Explanation coming soon…

Forgiveness & Protection

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِيْ ، وَفُكَّ رِهَانِيْ ، وَاجْعَلْنِيْ فِي النَّدِيِّ الْأَعْلَىٰ.

 (1x)

 

In the Name of Allah, I lie down. O Allah, forgive my sins, ward off from me my shaytān, free me from my obligations (to others) and enter me into the loftiest assembly (of angels).
Bismillāhi waḍaʿtu jambī, Allāhumma-ghfir lī dhambī, wa akhsi’ shayṭānī, wa fukka rihānī, wa-jʿalnī fi-n-Nadiyyi-l-Aʿlā.

Abū al-Azhar al-Anmārī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ retired to bed at night, he would say [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 5054)

Explanation coming soon…

Praise Allah With the Praises of the Entire Creation

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ كَفَانِيْ وَآوَانِيْ ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ أَطْعَمَنِيْ وَسَقَانِيْ ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ مَنَّ عَلَيَّ فَأَفْضَلَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِعِزَّتِكَ أَنْ تُنَجِّيَنِيْ مِنَ النَّارِ.

 (1x)

 

All praise is for Allah Who has sufficed me and given me refuge. All praise is for Allah Who has fed me and given me drink. All praise is for Allah Who has been gracious to me and showered favours on me. O Allah, I ask You by Your Glory, save me from the Hell-Fire. (Ḥākim)
Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-lladhī kafānī wa āwānī, al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-lladhī aṭʿamanī wa saqānī, al-ḥamdu li-llāhi-l-ladhī manna ʿalayya fa-afḍal, allāhumma innī as’aluka bi ʿizzatika an tunajjiyanī min-an-nār.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] when retiring to bed has praised Allah with all the praises of His entire creation.” (Hākim 2001)

Explanation coming soon…

Sleep in the Name of Your Lord

اَللّٰهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوْتُ وَأَحْيَا.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, solely in Your Name I die and I live.
Allāhumma bismika amūtu wa aḥyā.

Abū Dhar (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that whenever the Prophet ﷺ lay on his bed, he used to say: [the above], and when he woke up he would say: ‘All praise is for Allah Who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the resurrection.’ (Bukhārī 6325)

Explanation coming soon…

Get Forgiven Before Going to Sleep

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ.

 (1x)

 

There is no god but Allah. He is Alone and He has no partner whatsoever. To Him Alone belong all sovereignty and all praise. He is over all things All-Powerful. There is no power (in averting evil) or strength (in attaining good) except through Allah. Allah is free from imperfection, and all praise is for Allah. There is no god but Allah and Allah is the Greatest.
Lā ilāha illā-l-lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa Huwa ʿalā kulli shay’in qadīr, wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh, subḥāna-llāhi wa-l-ḥamdu lillāhi wa lā ilāha illā Allāhu wa-l-Allāhu akbar

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] when retiring to bed, all of his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” (Nasā’ī)

Explanation coming soon…

Die Upon the Fitrah

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، وَأَلْجَاْتُ ظَهْرِيْ إِلَيْكَ ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِيْ أَنْزَلْتَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِيْ أَرْسَلْتَ.

 (1x)

 

O Allah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is no refuge or safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.
Allāhumma aslamtu nafsī ilayk, wa fawwaḍtu amrī ilayk, wa wajjahtu wajhī ilayk, wa alja’tu ẓahrī ilayk, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayk, lā malja’a wa lā manjā minka illā ilayk, āmantu bi kitābika-l-ladhī anzalt, wa bi Nabiyyika-lladhī arsalt.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Before you go to bed, perform wudhū as you would for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say [the above]. Whoever says this and dies in his sleep, will die upon the ‘fitrah’ (natural monotheism).” (Bukhārī 6313)

In another narration the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Let the aforesaid words be your last utterance (before sleep).” (Bukhārī 247)

Explanation coming soon…

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