بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً.
In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and in Your name I rise. If You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You restore it, protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants. O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision, and acceptable deeds.
Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsalta'ha fahfadh'ha bima tahfadh'hu bihi 'ibadakus-salihin. Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan.
When to Read
This beautiful dua is recited just before going to sleep. It encompasses asking Allah to accept our sleep, which is a form of temporary death, and to protect us during it. The latter part of the dua is often recited in the morning, but the Prophet ﷺ taught us to combine these requests, showing the comprehensive nature of seeking Allah’s blessings from the moment we rest until we wake.
How to Read
Recite this with sincerity and a humble heart, reflecting on its meaning. It is the Sunnah to place your right hand beneath your cheek while reciting the first part of the dua before sleeping. The second part, asking for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision, and acceptable deeds, is particularly relevant when waking up, but the Prophet ﷺ taught us to include it at bedtime as well, linking our rest to our striving in Allah's cause.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua is incredibly comprehensive. By asking Allah to have mercy on our soul if He takes it, we acknowledge our dependence on Him and seek His forgiveness. Protecting our soul and our actions, as well as seeking beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds, are all essential components of a life lived in accordance with Allah's pleasure. It prepares us for both a restful sleep and a productive, righteous awakening.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say when he went to bed: 'O Allah, with Your Name I die and live.' And when he woke up, he used to say: 'Praise is to Allah Who gave us life after death, and to Him is the final return.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6320). Another narration states: 'When any one of you goes to sleep, he should say: 'O Allah, with Your Name I die and live.' And when he wakes up, he should say: 'Praise is to Allah Who gave us life after death, and to Him is the return.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6320, Muslim 2711). There's a slightly different version taught by the Prophet ﷺ which includes the part about beneficial knowledge, provision, and deeds, demonstrating a more complete supplication for the entirety of our state, sleep and wakefulness.