بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، 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 seize my soul, then forgive it, and if You should return it, then protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants with.
Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi faghfir laha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadhha bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.
When to Read
This dua is recited just before sleeping, after one has settled down for the night. It's an excellent way to conclude the day, entrusting oneself to Allah and seeking His protection and forgiveness, while also reflecting on our dependence on Him for life itself.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and understanding its profound meaning. As you recite it, imagine yourself submitting your life and your affairs to Allah. The act of laying down your body is a mini-reflection of death, and raising it is a reflection of resurrection. Let this contemplation deepen your awareness of Allah's power and mercy.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua encompasses several vital aspects of a believer's relationship with Allah. It acknowledges Allah as the source of life and death ('In amsakta nafsi...') and highlights our complete reliance on Him. By asking for forgiveness if the soul is taken, it shows a desire for a good end. By asking for protection if the soul is returned, it seeks safety in this world and the hereafter. It also emphasizes the importance of seeking Allah's preservation, just as He preserves the righteous, reminding us to strive for righteousness. It's a comprehensive prayer for acceptance and well-being.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he went to bed: 'Allahumma, in Aslamtu wajhi ilayka, wa fawwadtu amri ilayka, wa wallaytu zahrī ilayka raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka, la malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilayka. Amantu bikitabika alladhi anzalta, wa bi nabiyyika alladhi arsalta.' (O Allah! I have submitted my face to You, entrusted my affair to You, and turned my back to You for the sake of You, for protection out of hope and fear for You. There is no refuge and no salvation from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.) If he died on that night, he died with 'Fitra' (Islam). And if he lived till the morning, he lived with a healthy and pure (Islamic) nature. So, it is recommended that these should be the last words said (by the pilgrim). And it is also narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he went to his bed: 'Allahumma, Rabbas-samawati wa Rabbil-ardi, Rabbil-'arshil-'adhim, Rabbana wa Rabba kulli shayin, faliqil-hubbi wa an-nawa, munzila-t-Tawrati wal-Injili wal-Furqani, a'udhu bika min sharri kulli shay'in anta akhidhuun bi nasiyatih. Allahumma, antal-awwal faysa qablaka shay'un, wa antal-akhir faysa ba'daka shay'un, wa antal-dhahir faysa fawqaka shay'un, wa antal-batin faysa dunaka shay'un. Iqdi 'annad-dayna wa aghnina min fagr. (O Allah! Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the Great Throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, the One Who splits the grain and the date-seed, the Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran, I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things You are seizing 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 Visible, so there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden, so there is nothing nearer than You. Settle our debts for us and enrich us from poverty.)' And the narration of the Prophet (ﷺ) (when he went to sleep) was: 'Allahumma, in Aslamtu wajhi ilayka, wa fawwadtu amri ilayka, wa wallaytu zahrī ilayka raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka, la malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilayka. Amantu bikitabika alladhi anzalta, wa bi nabiyyika alladhi arsalta.' (O Allah! I have submitted my face to You, entrusted my affair to You, and turned my back to You for the sake of You, for protection out of hope and fear for You. There is no refuge and no salvation from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.) Another narration: 'Allahumma, qini 'adhaba yawm taj'u 'ibadaka.' (O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your slaves.) The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he went to sleep: 'Allahumma qini 'adhaba yawmi 'id, hatta ta'dhaba fihi ma shi'ta.' (O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your slaves, until You wish to punish on that Day.) This is how the narration is in Sahih Muslim. From the above Hadith, the specific dua requested is: 'Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi faghfir laha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadhha bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.' This is found in Sahih al-Bukhari 6306. The other narrations are related but contain different supplications. The specific text provided in the JSON is from Sahih al-Bukhari 6306.