بِاسْمِكَ 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 rise. If You seize my soul, have mercy upon it, and if You release it, protect it with what You protect Your righteous servants.
Bismika Rabbi wadha'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsalta fāḥfaẓha bimā taḥfaẓu bihi 'ibādak al-ṣāliḥīn.
When to Read
This beautiful dua is recited just as you are about to lie down to sleep. It's a moment to pause, reflect, and entrust your life and soul back to your Creator, acknowledging His ultimate control over everything, including your sleep and waking.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and full presence. As you say 'Bismika Rabbi' (In Your Name, my Lord), visualize yourself placing your trust in Allah. The second part, asking for mercy if the soul is taken and protection if it is returned, is a profound recognition of our dependence on Him. It's best recited once, right before closing your eyes.
Virtues & Benefits
This supplication encapsulates our complete reliance on Allah. By invoking His name for both resting and rising, we affirm that all actions, even sleep, are done with His help and for His sake. The request for mercy and protection is a powerful way to seek His pleasure and safeguard ourselves against any harm, both in this life and the Hereafter. It reminds us that even in sleep, our ultimate hope is Allah's mercy and the preservation of our faith.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say when he lay down for sleep: 'Bismika Rabbi wadha'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu. In amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsalta fāḥfaẓha bimā taḥfaẓu bihi 'ibādak al-ṣāliḥīn.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 5961)