بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ 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. If You take my soul, have mercy upon it, and if You restore it, protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants.
Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi fa-rhamha, wa in arsalta-ha fahfadh-ha bima tahfadh bihi 'ibadak-as-salihin.
When to Read
This beautiful dua is recited by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when going to sleep. You can teach it to your children and encourage them to recite it before they settle down for the night. It's a powerful way to invoke Allah's protection over them during their sleep.
How to Read
Encourage your child to say this dua with sincerity and understanding, ideally after making wudu (ablution) and before lying down on their right side. You can say it with them initially to help them learn and internalize the meaning. Focus on the trust placed in Allah for safety and mercy.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this dua before sleep is a profound act of reliance on Allah. It teaches children to acknowledge Allah's control over their lives, even in sleep. It seeks Allah's mercy should their soul be taken during sleep and His protection should they wake up. This fosters a sense of security and peace, warding off anxieties and nightmares by reminding them of Allah's constant watchfulness over the righteous.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Hudhaifa: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed at night, he would put his hand under his cheek and say: 'O Allah, [in Your name] I lie down and [in Your name] I rise. And [in Your name] I die and [in Your name] I shall be resurrected. If I were to die, then forgive me. And if I were to live, then protect me. And [in Your name] I shall keep myself safe. O Allah, protect me from my miseries and from the evil deeds of Satan, the accursed. And keep my soul alive and make me die in its natural time (i.e. death decreed by Allah). (In another narration: 'O Allah, in Your name I lie down and in Your name I rise. If You take my soul, have mercy upon it, and if You restore it, protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants.')