Do you ever lie in bed at night, staring at the ceiling, when you’re tired? Your body is exhausted. But your thoughts are running a marathon. The worries of the day. The stress about tomorrow. That thing you said five years ago that still embarrasses you.
Sleep is supposed to be a time of rest, a blessing from Allah (SWT) that restores our energy and heals our bodies. But for so many of us, it’s become a struggle. And Shaitaan loves this. Because when you’re exhausted the next day, your Iman is low, your patience is thin, and your worship feels like a burden.
But here’s the good news. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) taught us specific duas and practices for sleeping that do three things: they bring peace to your heart, protection from Shaitaan, and barakah in your rest.
Read this article till the end. These authentic duas before sleeping might just change the way you sleep forever, Insha’Allah.
Why Do We Recite Duas Before Sleeping?
Before we dive into the duas themselves, let’s understand something beautiful about sleep in Islam.
The Prophet (ﷺ) taught us that sleep is like a minor death. When you close your eyes at night, you’re surrendering your soul to Allah. And you have no guarantee that you’ll wake up in the morning. This is real. People pass away in their sleep every single night.
This is why the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when waking up:
“Al-hamdu li l-lahil-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilaihin-nushur.”
Translation: All praise is due to Allah, who gave us life after causing us to die and to Him is the resurrection
So every night when you go to sleep, you’re practicing a little death. And every morning when you wake up, you’re experiencing a little resurrection. The duas before sleep are your last words before you hand your soul back to your Creator.
6 Authentic Duas for Sleeping (With Arabic, Transliteration, and Translation)
Let’s go through the most authentic duas and practices from the Sunnah. I’ve included only those with strong chains of narration so you can recite them with full confidence.
Dua 1: The Essential Bedtime Dua
This is the most basic and authentic dua that the Prophet (ﷺ) would recite every single night.
اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Transliteration: Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya
Translation: O Allah, with Your name I die and I live.
Source: Sahih Bukhari (Hadith: 6312)
For a detailed explanation, you can read our guide on Allahumma Bismika Amutu Wa Ahya in English.
Dua 2: Essential Dua Before Sleeping
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah that:
Whenever the Prophet (saas) went to his bed, he would put his hand – meaning his right hand – beneath his cheek then say:
Allāhumma qinī `adhābaka yawma tab`athu `ibādak
Translation: O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day Your servants are resurrected.
Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 3877
Dua 3: The Comprehensive Bedtime Dua
The Prophet (ﷺ) taught this longer dua to his companions. It covers everything – surrendering to Allah, trusting Him, and seeking His protection.
اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
Transliteration: Allāhumma aslamtu nafsī ilayk, wa fawwaḍtu amrī ilayk, wa wajjahtu wajhī ilayk, wa alja’tu ẓahrī ilayk, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayk, lā malja’a wa la manjā minka illā ilayk, āmantu bikitābika ‘l-ladhī anzalt, wa bi-nabiyyika ‘l-ladhī arsalt.
Translation: O Allah, I submit myself to You, entrust my affairs to You, turn my face to You, and lay myself down depending upon You, hoping in You and fearing You. There is no refuge, and no escape, except to You. I believe in Your Book (the Qur’an) that You revealed, and the Prophet whom You sent.
Source: Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever says this and dies in his sleep has died in a state of natural monotheism (Fitrah). SubhanAllah.
Dua 4: When You Toss and Turn During the Night
Sometimes you fall asleep fine, but then you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. The Prophet (ﷺ) had a dua for that too.
Sayyidah Aisha (radiAllahu anha) tells us that when the Prophet (ﷺ) would turn from side to side during the night, he would recite:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ، رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ
La ilaha illallahul Wahidul Qahhar Rabbus samawati wal ardi wa ba baynahumal ‘Azizul Ghaffar
Translation: There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the One, the Victorious, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the All-Mighty, the All-Forgiving.
Source: Sahih Ibn Hibban and Mustadrak Hakim (authenticated by Imams Ibn Hibban and Hakim)
Dua 5: The Best Dua for Protection from Nightmares
If you suffer from bad dreams or nightmares, this dua was taught specifically for that purpose.
Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said that he had heard that Khalid ibn al-Walid said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “I have nightmares.”
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to recite:
A’udhu bi kalimatillahi at-tammati min ghadabihi wa ‘iqabihi, wa sharri ‘ibadihi, wa min hamazatish-shayateeni wa an yahdurun
Translation: I seek refuge with the complete words of Allah from His anger and His punishment and the evil of His slaves, and from the evil suggestions of the shayatin and from their being present (at death).
Source: Reported in multiple collections
If you have a nightmare, the Prophet (ﷺ) also taught us to:
- Spit lightly (without saliva) on your left side three times
- Seek refuge in Allah from Shaitaan
- Turn over to the other side
- Pray if you wish
Never tell anyone about a bad dream you had. Good dreams are from Allah, and you can share them with those you love. Bad dreams are from Shaitaan, and we should not speak about them.
Dua 6: The Dua for Lying on Your Side
When you settle into your sleeping position, the Prophet (ﷺ) taught us to say:
باسمک رب وضعت جنبي وبک أرفعه إن أمسکت نفسي فارحمها وإن أرسلتها فاحفظها بما تحفظ به عبادک الصالحين
Transliteration: Bismika rabbee wadaAAtu janbee wabika arfaAAuh, fa-in amsakta nafsee farhamha, wa-in arsaltaha fahfathha bima tahfathu bihi AAibadakas-saliheen
Translation: “In Your name my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise, so if You should take my soul then have mercy upon it, and if You should return my soul then protect it in the manner You do so with Your righteous servants.”
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3401
This dua for sleeping is very beautiful. We are surrendering ourselves to Allah, entrusting our soul to Allah, that Allah is its protector because He is its owner. This dua also reminds us that righteous people live under the protection of Allah and we should also try to be among the righteous servants of Allah.
Sunnah Practices Before Sleeping
The duas are powerful, but they work best when combined with the physical practices of the Prophet (ﷺ). Here’s what the Sunnah teaches us about how to sleep:
1. Perform Wudu Before Sleeping
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When you go to bed, perform wudu like you do for prayer.” Sleeping in a state of purity means angels surround you throughout the night.
2. Sleep on Your Right Side
The Prophet (ﷺ) always slept on his right side, with his right hand under his right cheek. Sleeping on the stomach is discouraged.
3. Dust Your Bed
Before getting into bed, the Prophet (ﷺ) taught us to take our garment and dust the bed, because we don’t know what might have landed on it overnight.
4. Don’t Sleep Directly After Fajr or Asr
While not directly related to bedtime, the Prophet (ﷺ) discouraged sleeping after Fajr prayer (because it’s a time of blessings) and after Asr prayer.
5. Sleep Early, Wake Early
The Prophet (ﷺ) disliked talking after Isha prayer unless necessary. He would sleep early and wake up in the last third of the night for Tahajjud.
A Summary: Your Nightly Routine in 5 Minutes
If you want a simple, comprehensive routine that covers all the Sunnahs, here’s what you can do in about 5 minutes:
- Perform wudu
- Dust your bed
- Recite Ayatul Kursi
- Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas three times, blow into cupped hands, and wipe your body
- Recite the Tasbih of Fatima (33-33-34)
- Recite “Allahumma bismika amutu wa ahya”
- Lie on your right side with your hand under your cheek
- If you wake at night, recite the dua for turning
That’s it. Simple. Quick. And packed with barakah.
References:
1. Essential Dua before sleeping – Sahih Bukhari (Hadith: 6312)
2. Dua when going to bed – Sunan Ibn Majah 3877, Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
3. Dua for Lying on Your Side – Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3401, Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
4. Dua when turning during the night – Sahih Ibn Hibban and Mustadrak Hakim, https://islamqa.org/hanafi/hadithanswers/123627/a-dua-to-recite-when-changing-position-while-sleeping/
5. Dua for Protection from Nightmares – https://sunnah.com/urn/517210
6. Comprehensive Bedtime Dua – Hisn al-Muslim 111
You may also like reading other related articles:
- 5 Things to do Before Sleeping in Islam {With Hadith References}
- Learn The Sunnah Before Sleeping {A List Of Hadith’s Included}
