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. In Your name, I raise it. If You should seize 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 dua is recited just before you lay down to sleep. It's a moment to pause, reflect, and entrust your well-being to Allah before entering the state of slumber. As we prepare to rest, it's a perfect time to ask Allah to guard our actions and words throughout the night and into the next day, including safeguarding our tongues.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention as you settle down to sleep, placing yourself consciously in Allah's care. It is meant to be a personal supplication, a heartfelt conversation with your Creator. Focus on the meaning of each phrase, acknowledging Allah's power over your life and His ability to protect you.
Virtues & Benefits
While this specific dua doesn't directly mention the tongue, its comprehensive nature of seeking Allah's protection for our soul and our return to wakefulness implicitly covers all aspects of our being and actions. By asking Allah to 'protect it [your soul] with what You protect Your righteous servants,' we are essentially asking for protection from all harm, sins, and negative inclinations, including the misuse of our tongues for backbiting and slander. The righteous servants of Allah are those who are mindful of their speech, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned us. This dua, therefore, serves as a holistic safeguard, setting a spiritual intention to be protected from all undesirable traits and deeds.
Source & Authentication
Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he took his bed: 'O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and of the great Throne, our Lord and the Lord of all things, the One Who splits the grain and the date-pit, the One Who revealed the Qur'an and the Tora and the Evangel. I seek refuge in You from the evil of everything that You seize by its forelock. O Allah, You are the First, than Whom nothing is before You; and You are the Last, than Whom nothing is after You; and You are the Outwardly apparent, than Whom nothing is above You; and You are the Inwardly hidden, than Whom nothing is nearer than You. Remove from us the burden of debt, and enrich us against poverty.' (Another version narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he went to bed: 'O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the tremendous Throne, our Lord and the Lord of all things, the Revealer of the Tawrah and the Injil and the Qur'an, the splitter of the grain and the date-pit. I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things which You seize by its forelock. O Allah, You are the First, so there is nothing before You; You are the Last, so there is nothing after You; You are the Apparent, so there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden, so there is nothing nearer than You. Remove our debt and make us rich instead of poor.)