بِسْمِكَ 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 raise it. If You should take my soul, then have mercy upon it. And if You should return my soul, 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 'ibadak as-salihin.
When to Read
This comprehensive dua is recited before going to sleep. It encompasses seeking Allah's protection for your soul while you are unconscious, acknowledging that your life is solely in His hands.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and conviction as you settle down to sleep. Place your right hand under your cheek or by your side, as was the practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Reflect on the meaning of the words, acknowledging Allah's complete control over your life and seeking His ultimate mercy and protection.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this dua before sleep is a profound act of worship, entrusting oneself entirely to Allah. It acknowledges His sovereignty and seeks His mercy and safeguarding. By seeking protection in the way He protects His righteous servants, we are asking for His divine care against any harm, be it physical or spiritual, that might befall us during sleep, including nightmares or unseen dangers.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he slept, 'O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and of all that they shadow, Lord of the earth and of all that they carry, Lord of the devils and of all whom they mislead, Lord of the winds and of all that they blow about! I ask You for the goodness of this night and the goodness 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 for good in this life and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for the best in this life and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my property. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, protect me from before me and from behind me, from my right and from my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your might from being taken away from beneath me.' (Abu Huraira said, 'And 'from beneath me' was not said by him but by Allah.)