Prayers for Protection Before Sleep

Protective Verses to Recite Before Sleep

It is recommended for Muslims to recite specific chapters or verses before going to sleep, which are outlined below:

• Surah Al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112) three times, which is the words of Allah -the Exalted-: “Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
• Surah Al-Falaq (Chapter 113) three times, which states: “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak from the evil of that which He created and from the evil of the darkness when it settles and from the evil of the blowers in knots and from the evil of an envier when he envies.”
• Surah An-Nas (Chapter 114) three times, which includes: “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer – who whispers in the breasts of mankind – from among jinn and mankind.”
• The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2), which are: “The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His Books and His messengers, [saying], ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers.’ And they said, ‘We hear and we obey. [Grant us] Your forgiveness, our Lord. To You is the final destination.’
  (Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or made a mistake. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.’)

Ayat Al-Kursi (Verse of the Throne), which is: “Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.”

Supplications for Protection Before Sleep

Here are several supplications from the Prophetic traditions that Muslims can recite before sleeping:

• “Glory be to You, O Allah, my Lord! With You I lay down my side, and by You I raise it. If You take my soul, then forgive it, and if You release it, then protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.”
• “O Allah, You created my soul, and You are the One who takes it. To You belongs its life and its death. If You keep it alive, then preserve it, and if You take it away, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for health.”
• “O Allah, I have surrendered my face to You, entrusted my affairs to You, and sought refuge with You, seeking Your grace and fearing You. There is no refuge nor escape from You except to You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book that You revealed and in Your Prophet whom You sent.”

Diverse Supplications Before Sleep

Below is a list of various supplications that a Muslim can recite before sleeping:

• “O Allah, make the Holy Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the remedy for my sadness, and the removal of my anxiety and grief.”
• “O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness that brings ease to my heart, elevates my mention, facilitates my affairs, relieves my distress, and raises my rank, for You have power over all things.”
• “O Allah, Lord of the heavens and earth, be a protector for me against the evil of all Your creatures, such that none of them may harm me or oppress me. Exalted is Your might and praised is Your glory. There is no deity except You.”
• “O Allah, sufficiency is in what concerns me and what does not concern me. Grant me piety, forgive my sins, and guide me to good wherever I may be. Make ease for me in matters and keep me away from hardship.”