The Sunnah before sleep: a bedtime routine
The Prophet ﷺ had a short routine every night before sleeping. It takes about five minutes and protects you through the night.
The routine
- Make wudu. "When you go to bed, make wudu as you do for prayer, then lie on your right side" (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
- Dust off your bed three times (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
- Recite Ayatul Kursi. Whoever recites it when going to bed has a guardian from Allah all night and no devil comes near him until morning (al-Bukhari). Ayatul Kursi with translation.
- Recite al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas into your cupped hands, blow into them and wipe over your body, three times (al-Bukhari).
- Recite the last two verses of al-Baqarah. "Whoever recites them at night, they will suffice him" (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
- Say SubhanAllah 33, Alhamdulillah 33, Allahu Akbar 34. The Prophet ﷺ taught this to Fatimah and Ali and said it is better for them than a servant (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
- Lie on your right side with your hand under your cheek.
- Say the dua before sleeping.
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live. (al-Bukhari)
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 ﴿٢٨٥﴾ 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 ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Amana alrrasoolu bima onzila ilayhi min rabbihi waalmuminoona kullun amana biAllahi wamalaikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi la nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi waqaloo samiʿna waataʿna ghufranaka rabbana wailayka almaseeru La yukallifu Allahu nafsan illa wusʿaha laha ma kasabat waʿalayha ma iktasabat rabbana la tuakhithna in naseena aw akhtana rabbana wala tahmil ʿalayna isran kama hamaltahu ʿala allatheena min qablina rabbana wala tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bihi waoʿfu ʿanna waighfir lana wairhamna anta mawlana faonsurna ʿala alqawmi alkafireena
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
Quran 2:285-286 · Surah Al-Baqara
All the duas are in sleep athkar. Add Surah al-Mulk and you have a complete nightly routine.
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