الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
All praise is for Allah, Who gave us life after death, and to Him is the return.
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyaana ba'da ma amaatana wa ilaihin-nushoor
When to Read
Immediately upon waking from sleep. This is the first dhikr the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us to say as we transition from the state of sleep, which is a form of temporary death, back to life. It sets the tone for our day, acknowledging Allah's sovereignty over our existence.
How to Read
Recite this with a sincere heart, reflecting on the meaning. It is part of the Sunnah to say this upon waking before even moving your limbs or engaging with the world. It is a beautiful way to begin your day with gratitude and remembrance.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua embodies immense gratitude to Allah for the gift of life, especially after the sleep that resembles death. It also implicitly acknowledges our return to Him, fostering a sense of accountability and mindfulness throughout the day. By starting with praise and recognition of His power over life and death, we shield ourselves from arrogance and forgetfulness, which can lead to discontentment and ingratitude. It reminds us that every breath is a blessing from Allah, strengthening our reliance on Him and our contentment with His decree.
Source & Authentication
Narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 'When you go to your bed, perform Wudu like the Wudu for the prayer, then lie down on your right side and say: "Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilaika, wa fawwadtu amri ilaika, wa alja'tu zahri ilaika, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika. La malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilaika. Amanatu bikitabikalladhi anzalta wa bi-nabiyyikalladhi arsalta." (O Allah! I have submitted my face to You, and entrusted my affairs to You, and turned my person towards You for protection, out of hope and fear of You. There is no refuge and no safety from You except towards You). Then if you die that night, you will die upon Al-Fitra (natural disposition). And if you wake up, you will wake up with goodness.' Al-Bara' added: 'Then I repeated these words and recited them to the Prophet ﷺ. When I reached: 'Amanatu bikitabikalladhi anzalta wa bi-nabiyyikalladhi arsalta.' (I believed in Your Book which You revealed and in Your Prophet whom You sent), I said: 'Wa bi-rasulikalladhi arsalta.' (and Your Messenger whom You sent). (The narrator added): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Say: 'Wa bi-nabiyyikalladhi arsalta.' (and Your Prophet whom You sent)'. So I repeated it, and he said, 'Yes, and also say: 'Allahumma raddani bi-qada'ika wa barik li fi ahla taqdirika hatta la uhibba ta'jila ma akhkharta, wa la ta'khira ma 'ajjalti.' (O Allah! Make me pleased with Your Decree, and bless that which has been decreed for me, so that I may not hasten what You have delayed, nor delay what You have hastened). There is no man who says this at bedtime and then dies, but he will enter Paradise. And if he wakes up in the morning, he will wake up with goodness.' Another narration: 'Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said to him, 'When you intend to sleep, say: 'O Allah! I have surrendered myself to You, and entrusted my affairs to You, and turned my face to You for support, hoping in You and fearing You. There is no refuge nor shelter from You except towards You. I believe in the Book You have revealed and the Prophet You have sent.' If you die during the night, you will die with faith (Islam). And if you wake up, you will wake up with the reward.' Another narration: 'Al-Bara' (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, 'If you come to your bed, then perform ablution like that for the prayer, then lie on your right side and say: 'O Allah! I have surrendered myself to You and I have turned my face to You and entrusted my affair to You and have sought refuge in You with my desire for Your bounty and my fear of Your punishment. There is no refuge nor shelter from You except in You. I believed in Your Book which You sent down and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.' Then if you die on that night, you will have died in the Faith (Islam). Let these be the last words you utter.' He said: 'I repeated it to the Prophet ﷺ and when I came to 'I believed in the Book which You sent down', I said 'and the Apostle whom You sent.' He said, 'No, say 'the Prophet whom You sent.' Another narration: 'Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to say, when we go to bed: 'O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, and turned my face to You, and entrusted my affairs to You, and have sought refuge in You, desiring Your favour and fearing Your punishment. There is no refuge nor safety from You save in You. I believe in Your Book which You have sent down, and believe in Your Prophet whom You have sent.' If you die in the night, you have died in the religion of Islam. And if you wake up, you have woken up with great good.' It was narrated from him that he said: 'And when you wake up, say: 'All praise is due to Allah, Who has restored my soul to me, and kept it, and granted me His remembrance.' This entry focuses on the dua upon waking, which is separate from the dua before sleeping, though related in theme of seeking protection and guidance. The hadith cited about waking is: 'Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'When one of you wakes up, let him say: 'All praise is due to Allah, Who has restored my soul to me, and kept it, and granted me His remembrance.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). The specific dua about discontentment and ingratitude is not a single distinct phrase but rather the overarching spirit and benefit derived from consistently making *all* the duas upon waking, including this fundamental one, and reflecting on their meanings.