The Prophet's ﷺ Bedtime Routine
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had a consistent nightly routine of recitations before sleep. These are not merely recommended — each one carries its own specific, authenticated benefit from the Quran and Sunnah. Together they take only 5–10 minutes and cover you in protection from Shaytan, the punishment of the grave, bad dreams, and spiritual harm through the night.
The key recitations are: Ayatul Kursi, the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, the Three Quls (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas), and Surah Al-Mulk.
1. Ayatul Kursi (2:255) — Night Protection
1
Ayatul Kursi — آيَةُ الْكُرْسِيّ
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255 · Bukhari 5010
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, Al-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih. Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum. Wa la yuhituna bi shay'in min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'. Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard. Wa la ya'uduhu hifdhuhuma. Wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Adhim.
"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."
🛡️ Benefit: "Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi when he goes to bed, Allah will appoint a guardian (angel) over him and no Shaytan will come near him until morning." — Bukhari 5010
2. Last Two Verses of Al-Baqarah (2:285–286)
2
Amana Rasulu — آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:285–286 · Bukhari 5009, Muslim 808
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Amana Rasulu bima unzila ilayhi min Rabbihi wal-mu'minun. Kullun amana billahi wa mala'ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rusulihi, la nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi. Wa qalu sami'na wa ata'na, ghufranaka Rabbana wa ilaykal-masir. La yukallifullahu nafsan illa wus'aha. Laha ma kasabat wa 'alayha mak-tasabat. Rabbana la tu'akhidhna in nasina aw akhta'na. Rabbana wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'alal-ladhina min qablina. Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih. Wa'fu 'anna waghfir lana warhamna. Anta mawlana fansurna 'alal-qawmil-kafirin.
"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... Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear... Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we forget or make an error. Our Lord, lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, 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."
🛡️ Benefit: "Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him." — Bukhari 5009. This is understood to mean they suffice as protection and as a means of earning reward.
3. The Three Quls — 3× Each, Blow into Hands
The Prophet ﷺ would cup his hands, blow into them, recite the three surahs below (each three times), then rub his hands over his face and as much of the front of his body as possible, starting from the head, doing this three times. (Bukhari 5017)
3a
Surah Al-Ikhlas (112) — قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Recite 3 times · Bukhari 5017
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad. Allahus-Samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
"Say: He is Allah, [Who is] One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
⭐ Reciting Al-Ikhlas once equals a third of the Quran in reward (Bukhari 5013). Three times at night covers the equivalent of the full Quran.
3b
Surah Al-Falaq (113) — قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ
Recite 3 times · Bukhari 5017
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbil-falaq. Min sharri ma khalaq. Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab. Wa min sharrin-naffathati fil-'uqad. Wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad.
"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak — from the evil of that which He created, from the evil of darkness when it settles, from the evil of those who blow on knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies."
🛡️ Protection from all external evil, harmful creation, magic and the evil eye.
3c
Surah An-Nas (114) — قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ
Recite 3 times · Bukhari 5017
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ النَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbin-nas. Malikin-nas. Ilahin-nas. Min sharril-waswasil-khannas. Al-ladhi yuwaswisu fi sudurin-nas. Minal-jinnati wan-nas.
"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind — the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind — from the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers in the chests of mankind, from among the jinn and mankind."
🛡️ Protection from the whispering of Shaytan and evil from jinn and humans during the night.
🤲 How to recite the Three Quls: Cup both hands together, recite each surah three times while blowing gently into the hands after each surah, then rub the hands over the face and front of the body, starting from the head. Repeat this process three times. (Bukhari 5017, Abu Dawud 3902)
4. Surah Al-Mulk (67) — Nightly Intercession
4
Surah Al-Mulk — سُورَةُ الْمُلْك
30 verses · Tirmidhi 3402, Abu Dawud 1401
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ...
Tabarakal-ladhi biyadihil-mulk, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadir...
"Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent..." (Surah Al-Mulk 67:1 — continue for all 30 verses)
🌟
Benefit: "The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited Surah Al-Mulk." (Tirmidhi 3402). He also said: "There is a surah in the Quran of thirty verses that intercedes for a man until he is forgiven — it is Surah Al-Mulk." (Abu Dawud 1401). It protects from the punishment of the grave.
Read the full Al-Mulk benefits guide →
5. The Essential Sleep Duas
After the surah recitations, the Prophet ﷺ also recited specific short duas before sleeping. Here are the most important:
5a
Bismika Amutu wa Ahya — The Sleep Dua
Bukhari 6312
بِسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.
"In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live."
💤 The Prophet ﷺ said this every night before sleeping. Sleep is likened to a minor death, and waking is the return of the soul (Bukhari 6312).
5b
Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar — The Tasbih of Fatimah
Bukhari 3705, Muslim 2727
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (٣٣) · الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (٣٣) · اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (٣٤)
Subhanallah (33×) · Alhamdulillah (33×) · Allahu Akbar (34×)
Glory be to Allah (33×) · Praise be to Allah (33×) · Allah is the Greatest (34×)
✨ When Fatimah رضي الله عنها asked the Prophet ﷺ for a servant to help with household work, he taught her this dhikr instead, saying it is better than a servant (Bukhari 3705). The Prophet ﷺ said: "This is better for you than what you asked for."
For the complete collection of bedtime duas — including the longer waking dua, the protection dua, and the du'a when having a nightmare — see our full Dua Before Sleep guide →
Complete Bedtime Routine — Quick Reference
1
Perform Wudu
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Sleep in a state of ritual purity." (Abu Dawud 5045). Making wudu before sleeping earns the whole night as worship.
2
Pray Witr (if not yet prayed)
Witr is prayed as the last prayer of the night. If you plan to wake for Tahajjud, you can delay Witr until then. Otherwise, pray it before sleeping after Isha.
3
Read Surah Al-Mulk
30 verses. The Prophet ﷺ never slept without it. ~5 minutes of recitation.
4
Recite Ayatul Kursi (1×)
Appoints an angelic guardian until morning (Bukhari 5010).
5
Recite the Last 2 Verses of Al-Baqarah (1×)
Sufficient protection for the night (Bukhari 5009).
6
Recite the Three Quls (3× each) with hand-rubbing
Blow into cupped hands after each surah, then rub over the body — three full rounds (Bukhari 5017).
7
Say the Tasbih of Fatimah (33/33/34)
Subhanallah 33×, Alhamdulillah 33×, Allahu Akbar 34× (Bukhari 3705).
8
Recite Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
The final sleep dua, entrusting the soul to Allah (Bukhari 6312).
9
Sleep on the right side
The Sunnah is to lie on the right side. Avoid sleeping on the stomach — the Prophet ﷺ disapproved of that position (Abu Dawud 5040).
⏱️ Time commitment: Surah Al-Mulk takes about 4–5 minutes. Ayatul Kursi 30 seconds. Last two verses of Baqarah 2 minutes. The Three Quls 2 minutes. Duas and tasbih 2 minutes. The full routine: under 12 minutes — but the spiritual protection lasts all night.
Frequently Asked Questions
What surah should I read before sleeping?
The authenticated Sunnah recommends: Ayatul Kursi (2:255) for angelic protection (Bukhari 5010), the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah as sufficient nighttime protection (Bukhari 5009), the Three Quls (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas) 3× each blown into the hands and rubbed over the body (Bukhari 5017), and Surah Al-Mulk for protection from the punishment of the grave (Abu Dawud 1401).
What did the Prophet ﷺ recite before sleeping?
The full routine includes: performing wudu, reciting Surah Al-Mulk, Ayatul Kursi, the last two verses of Al-Baqarah, and the Three Quls 3× while blowing into the hands and rubbing the body. He also recited specific sleep duas and slept on his right side. All of these are authenticated from hadith collections including Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawud.
Does reciting Ayatul Kursi before sleeping protect you?
Yes — directly from the Prophet ﷺ's words. Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated: "Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi when he goes to bed, Allah will appoint a guardian (angel) over him and no Shaytan will come near him until morning." (Bukhari 5010). This is one of the strongest, most specific protections mentioned in the Sunnah.
Is it Sunnah to read Surah Al-Mulk every night?
Yes. "The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep until he had recited Surah Al-Mulk." (Tirmidhi 3402). He also said it is a surah of thirty verses that intercedes for its reader until forgiven (Abu Dawud 1401). It is also called Al-Waqiyah (The Protector) because it protects from the punishment of the grave.
What is the Tasbih of Fatimah and why is it done at bedtime?
The Tasbih of Fatimah is Subhanallah 33×, Alhamdulillah 33×, and Allahu Akbar 34× — totalling 100. When Fatimah رضي الله عنها asked the Prophet ﷺ for a servant to help with household chores, he taught her this dhikr instead, saying it was better for her than what she had asked. He recommended it specifically at bedtime (Bukhari 3705, Muslim 2727). It is also said to benefit physical energy and ward off tiredness.
What position should I sleep in as a Muslim?
The Sunnah is to sleep on the right side. The Prophet ﷺ instructed: "When you go to bed, perform ablution like that for prayer, then lie down on your right side..." (Bukhari 6311). Sleeping on the stomach is discouraged — the Prophet ﷺ saw someone sleeping on their stomach and said it was a position that Allah does not love (Abu Dawud 5040). Modern medicine also notes benefits of sleeping on the right side for heart health.
Related Guides