We must have tough days once in a while and need to take a rest to let the burden go away. It’s good to go to sleep in order to gain extra energy for the next day. In Islam, sleeping is really recommended because it will keep your body healthy. Read more about Eating Habits in Islam
Yet, before sleeping it’s also recommended to read some verses in Qur’an, some beneficial duas, or some merciful dhikr that might be beneficial to us. So, in this post, we’re going to find out 20 things to read before sleeping in Islam. Read carefully!
- Repeat Isthagafar 3 times before sleeping:
It’s good to perform Wudhu to purify ourselves before going to sleep and repeat Isthagafar 3 times. The main goal is to remind us to always seek for forgiveness from Allah. Then, you may want to read about Benefits of Night Prayers
“Asthaghfirullah halladhee laa ilaaha ilallahuwal hayyul qayyumu wa athubu ilay. ” (I seek forgiveness from Allah besides whom there is none worthy of worship, the living, the sustainer of life and to Him I repent – Tirmidhi)
2. After repeating Isthagafar 3 times, try reciting this piece:
“Allahumma aslamtu nafsee ilayk, wafawwadtu amree ilayk, wawajjahtu wajhee ilayk, wa-alja’tu thahree ilayk, raghbatan warahbatan ilayk, la maljaa wala manja minka illa ilayk, amantu bikitabikal-lathee anzalt, wabinabiyyikal-lathee arsalt.”
(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 neither refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent).
Adding some short Dhikrs to recite before going to sleep is good to find forgiveness from Allah. Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) also did short Dhikrs as a form of asking forgiveness from Allah SWT. Read more about Best Way to Seek Forgiveness from Allah
“Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day.” (Muslim)
Therefore, it’s good to recite some pieces below and repeat it carefully:
4. Repeat Astagfirullah for 100 times
أستغفر الله
“I seek forgiveness of Allah.“
Repeating Astaghfirullah for 100 times is good to lessen our anxiety and distress us from our burden. It is told in the hadith below:
“If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” (Abu Dawud)
5. Recite SubhanAllahi wa biHamdihi, Subhan-Allahil adheem for 100 times
سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
“Glory be to Allah, and Praise, Glory be to Allah, the Supreme.”
Allah, The Merciful One loves the word which is dearest to Him. Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) once told in the hadith below:
“Shall I tell you the words that Allah loves the most?” I said: “Yes, tell me, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “The words dearest to Allah are: subhanAllah wa bihamdihi. ” (Muslim and Tirmidhi)
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6. Repeat Allahumma salli ala muhammadiw wa ala aali muhammadin kamaa sallaita ala ibrahima wa ala aali ibrahima innaka hamidum majid. Allahumma baarik ala muhammadiw wa ala aali muhammadin kamaa baarakta ala ibrahima wa ala aali ibrahima innaka hamidum majid for at least 10 times
“اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلىَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلىَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَماَ صَلَّيْتَ عَلىَ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلىَ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ إِنـَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ اَللَّهُمَّ باَرِكْ عَلىَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلىَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَماَ باَرَكْتَ عَلىَ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلىَ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ إِنـَّكَ حَمِيْدٌ مَجِيْدٌ”
“O Allah, give Your mercy to Prophet Muhammad and his family as You gave Your mercy to Prophet Ibrahim and his family. You are the Most Exalted, the Most Noble. O Allah give Your blessings to Prophet Muhammad and his family as You gave Your blessings to Prophet Ibrahim and his family. You are the Most Exalted, the Most Noble.”
Whoever likes to give blessings to the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) will be the one nearest to him. Read more about Best Dua of Prophet Muhammad for Life. It is told in the hadith below:
“The one who will be nearest me on the Day of Resurrection will be the one who invoked most blessings on me.” (Tirmidhi)
7. Recite La illaha ilAllahu, waHdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul Mulku, wa lahul Hamd, wa Huwa ala kulli shaiy’in Qadeer for 100 times
لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“There is No God But Allah Alone, who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the raise, and He is Able to do all things.”
Reciting the sentence above will give you more uncountable reward from Allah as told by our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him). Read more about Akhlaq of Prophet Muhammad SAW. Based on the hadith below:
“Whoever says the above one Hundred times, has the reward of freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds are recorded for him and a hundred bad deeds are wiped away and he has gained refuge from the devil that day until evening and none shall come with anything better except someone who has done more.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Another miraculous things to read before sleeping in Islam are Duas. There are some Duas that might be beneficial in protecting us while we are sleeping. You may want to read about Importance of Dreams in Islam. Those are written below:
8. Recite this: Bismika Rabbee wadha’tu janbee, wa bika ‘arfa’uhu, fa’in ‘amsakta nafsee farhamhaa, wa ‘in ‘arsaltahaa fahfadhhaa, bimaa tahfadhu bihi ‘ibaadakas-saaliheen.
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“In Your name my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise, so if You should take my soul then have mercy upon it, and if You should return my soul then protect it in the manner You do so with Your righteous servants.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
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9. We also need to recite these sentence below carefully:
اسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismikallahumma amootu wa-ahya
“In Your name O Allah, I live and die.” (Muslim)
and also add this Dua before going to sleep:
اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
Allaahumma qinee ‘athaabaka yawma tab’athu ‘ibaadaka. (3 times)
“O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day Your servants are resurrected.” (Abu Dawud)
10. Recite this: Allahummah ghaarithinnujumu wa hadaathil uyoonu wa antha hayyun qayyumulla tha’ khudhu ka sinathuwalaa nawmun yaa hayyun yaa qayyoomu a’hde’ laylee wa anim ‘aynee.
اللَّهُمَّ غَارَتِ النُّجُومُ وَهَدَأَتِ الْعُيُونُ وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ قَيُّومٌ * لَا تَأْخُذُكَ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ أَهْدِئْ لَيْلِي وَأَنِمْ عَيْنِي
“Oh Allah the stars have sunk in and the eyes have become tranquil and quite and You are alive and ever lasting neither does sleep overcome You. Oh the living and ever lasting one make my night my tranquil and give my eyes sleep.” (Ibn Sunni, Hisnul Hasin)
11. Read this also when you feel a little depressed to sleep:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
A’oothu bikalimaatil-laahit-taammaati min ghadhabihi wa ‘iqaabihi, wa sharri ‘ibaadihi, wa min hamazaatish-shayaateeni wa ‘an yahdhuroon.
“I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from His anger and His punishment, from the evil of His slaves and from the taunts of devils and from their presence.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmithi)
12. Praise Allah
Whenever you have pleasant dreams, or have good quality of sleep, you should praise Allah. It for the pleasure you get and say this after waking up:
“Alhamdulillah”
(All Praise be to Allah)
13. Recite Audhobillaahi Minashaythaanirajeem for 3 times
Whenever you get unpleasant dreams, recite Audhobillaahi Minashaythaanirajeem (I seek refugee from Allah) for 3 times for the protection from Allah The Almighty.
14. Recite this Dua: Laa ‘ilaaha ‘illallaahul-Waahidul-Qahhaaru, Rabbus-samaawaati wal’ardhi wa maa baynahumal-‘Azeezul-Ghaffaaru.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ الْوَاحِدُ اْقَهَّارُ، رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ
“There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the One, the Victorious, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving.”[An-Nasa’i, ‘Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn As-Sunni]
15. Recite Surat Al Isra’ and Az-Zummar
Indeed, reciting surat Al-‘Isrā’ chapter 17 and surat Az-Zumar chapter 39 is recommended by our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him). It is narrated by Aisha (may Allaah be pleased with her):
“The Prophet would not go to sleep until he had recited Bani Israa’eel (Soorat al-Isra’) and al-Zumar.” (al-tirmidhi)
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16. Recite the last three surat in the Qur’an
Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) persuaded us to recite the last three surat in the Qur’an before sleeping. It is told in the hadith below:
“It was narrated from Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-naas. 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.” (Bukhari)
17. Read Surat Al-Mulk
Reading surat Al-Mulk chapter 67 will protect you from the punishment of the grave as it is told by our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) in the hadith below:
“Surah al Mulk is the protector from the torment of the grave” (Sahihul Jamiea, Hakim & Nasai)
18. Read Ayat Ul-Kursi
Ayat Ul Kursi is the name of a verse of Qur’an (2:255) which is beneficial to us as protector from satans as we sleep at night. You may want to read about Benefits of Completing Reciting Quran in Islam. The miracle of this verse was told by our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) in the hadith below:
“By reciting it (Ayat- ul-Kursi), there will be a guardian appointed over you from Allah who will protect you during the night, and Satan will not be able to come near you until morning” (Al-Bukhari)
19. Read Surat Al-Kafirun
The hadith below told us that Our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah) once persuaded us to read surat Al-Kafirun before sleeping:
“It was narrated that Nawfal al-Ashja’i (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah said to me: “Recite Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon then go to sleep at the end of it, for it is a disavowal of shirk.” (Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi)
20. Recite the last two ayah of Surat Al-Baqarah
Those two ayah is beneficial as our protection against satans at night. The miraculous benefits of that has been told by our Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah may be upon him) in the hadith below:
“Narrated An-Nu’man bin Bashir: that the Prophet said: “Indeed Allah wrote in a book two thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and He sent down two Ayat from it to end Surat Al-Baqarah with. If they are recited for three nights in a home, no Shaitan shall come near it.” (Tirmidhi)
That’s all 20 miraculous things to read before sleeping in Islam. Make sure we read all carefully, and we shall gain Allah’s protection and mercy!