بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and in Your name I lift it. If You should take my soul, then have mercy upon it. And if You should return it, then protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants.
Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadha bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.
When to Read
This beautiful supplication is part of the evening routine, specifically recited before settling down to sleep. It's a moment to reflect on our reliance on Allah (SWT) as we surrender ourselves to rest.
How to Read
Recite this dua sincerely, with full presence of heart. Understand that sleep is a form of temporary death, and this dua is a profound acknowledgment of our dependence on Allah for both life and death, and for the protection of our souls. Imagine yourself entrusting your very essence to the One who is ever-Mighty and ever-Merciful.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua encapsulates a comprehensive reliance on Allah (SWT). By asking for mercy if our soul is taken, we acknowledge our mortality and seek Allah's ultimate grace. By asking for protection if it is returned, we seek His continued care and guidance in our waking life. It reminds us that our waking and sleeping states are entirely in Allah's hands, and seeking His protection is paramount. It instills a sense of peace and security, knowing that our affairs are entrusted to the Best Protector.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say when he went to bed: 'O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they overshadow, Lord of the seven earths and all that they hold within them, Lord of the devils and all whom they lead astray, Lord of the winds and all that they scatter! I ask You for the good of this night and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it. I ask You to grant me benefit in my wealth and my family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from a debt that makes me miserable, from a bad neighbour, and from the evil of (false) hearing and the evil of (false) sight. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the evil of the evil of what is in the earth and the evil of what comes out of it, and from the evil of the jinn and men and the evil of what is approaching.' Then he would say: 'Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadha bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.' (In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and in Your name I lift it. If You should take my soul, then have mercy upon it. And if You should return it, then protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants.)