بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ.
By Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by Your name I raise it. If You should keep my soul, then have mercy on it. And if You should send it back, then protect it with that which You protect Your righteous servants.
Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakte nafsi fa'rhamha, wa in arsal-taha fahfadhha, bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.
When to Read
This beautiful dua is recited by the person before they sleep. While it's a general dua for oneself, its profound meaning allows us to extend its intention to our loved ones, including our spouse, asking Allah to preserve and protect them through the night.
How to Read
Recite this dua sincerely just before you fall asleep. You can hold your spouse's hand gently or place your hand on them as you make the dua, focusing your intention on their well-being. The essence is the heartfelt plea to Allah for protection and mercy.
Virtues & Benefits
This comprehensive dua encapsulates a deep reliance on Allah for both life and death, rest and wakefulness. By extending its protective intention to our spouse, we ask Allah to guard them from all harm, grant them restful sleep, and preserve their life and soul. It fosters a sense of mutual care and supplication within the marriage, strengthening the marital bond through shared reliance on the Almighty.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when he slept: "O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they shade, Lord of the earth and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all that 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. I seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it. I seek refuge in You from the arrogance and the evil of what You have taken hold of. I seek refuge in You in Your perfect words from the anger and the punishment of His punishment, and from the evil of Your servants. I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of the devils and from their presence." Then he said: "If you go to your bed, then recite the verse of the Throne: 'Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa Al-Haiyul-Qaiyum' (2:255) until the end of the verse, for indeed there will always be a guardian from Allah with you and no devil will come near you until you wake up in the morning.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6320). While this specific dua in the entry is for laying down, the principle of seeking Allah's protection for oneself and loved ones during sleep is exemplified by the Prophet's ﷺ comprehensive supplications.