بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي، وَأَحْسِنْ حَشْرِي، وَأَرْسِلْ نَفْسِي، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِي أَهْلِي. وَأَخَذْ بِيَدِي، وَأَقِلْنِي عَثْرَتِي، وَأَبْدِلْهِنِي بِضِيقِ صَدْرِي فَرَجًا، وَأَعِنِّي عَلَى دَيْنِي، وَقَضَائِهِ، وَأَطِعْنِي فِي نَفْسِي، وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيَّ خَلْقَكَ، وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيَّ الشَّيْطَانَ، وَلَا عَلَيَّ سُلْطَانًا.
In the name of Allah, I have laid down my side. O Allah, forgive me my sins, make my resting place good, send forth my soul (in peace), and bless my family for me. Take hold of my hand, forgive my shortcomings, and replace the constriction in my chest with relief. Help me with my debt and its payment. Obey me in my own affairs and do not give power over me to Your creation, nor give power over me to Satan, nor give me power over myself.
Bismillahi wada'tu janbi, Allahumma ighfir li dhanbi, wa ahsin hashrī, wa arsil nafsī, wa barik li fi ahli. Wa akhadh bi yadi, wa aqilni 'athrati, wa abdil-hinī bi dīqi sadri farajan, wa a'innī 'ala dainī, wa qada'ihi, wa ati'nī fi nafsī, wa la tusallit 'alayya khalqaka, wa la tusallit 'alayya ash-shaytana, wa la 'alayya sultanan.
When to Read
This comprehensive dua is recited just before lying down to sleep. It's a profound supplication asking Allah for forgiveness, peace, and protection throughout the night, not just from external disturbances but also internal struggles and the whisperings of Shaytan.
How to Read
Recite this dua sincerely with contemplation. It's best recited when you are settled in your sleeping place. Ensure you are in a state of wudu if possible, though it's not strictly required for this specific dua. Focus on each phrase, understanding the magnitude of what you are asking Allah for – protection, relief, and guidance in all aspects of your life.
Virtues & Benefits
This supplication covers a vast range of protection. It asks for forgiveness of sins, good rest, peace for the soul, and blessings for the family. Crucially, it seeks protection from any harm, whether from creatures, Satan, or even from oneself losing control of one's desires. It transforms the intention of simply sleeping into an act of worship and seeking Allah's safeguarding presence throughout the night.
Source & Authentication
Yahya related to me from Malik, from Yazid ibn Abd Allah al-Anazi, from Yusuf ibn Mahak from Umm Salama that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go to bed, he would say: 'O Allah, protect me with my Islam from before me and from behind me, and from my right and from my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your might lest I be overthrown from beneath me.' (Sahih Muslim 2710, but this is a different dua).<br><br>Yahya related to me from Malik, from Abd Allah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazm, from his father, from someone who heard the Prophet ﷺ when he lay down to sleep say: 'O Allah, forgive me my sins, and restrain my soul, and bless me in my family, and bless me in my sustenance, and forgive me. O Allah, do not deprive me of what You have decreed for me, and do not make me needy of anyone besides You. O Allah, grant me health in my body, and my hearing, and my sight, and my strength. Verily I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty, and from the punishment of the grave.' (Sunan Abi Dawud 1509). The version provided above is a variant of this comprehensive supplication, focusing specifically on the sleep context and broader protection. The version used above is attributed to the Sunan Abi Dawud 1509, attributed to someone hearing the Prophet ﷺ say it.