Getting a good night’s sleep helps you restore your body’s natural balance. It calms your mind and helps re-set your body and mind so you can get on with the following day, feeling re-energised.
Islam teaches you all you need to know about leading a good and happy life by getting a pleasant night’s sleep. Sleep is one of the greatest gifts and a blessing that's been given to us. And the Prophet (PBUH) has taught us various duas of sleeping, and duas to help with sleeping for anxiety.
After a long, exhausting day at work or school, sleep is incredibly important. Islam teaches us that you perform several good deeds every night before going to sleep to remember Allah (SWT). As such, you’ll earn enormous rewards from Him.
Try these virtuous, short deeds and sleeping duas as part of your daily bedtime routine.
Dua of Sleeping and Islamic Manners
Islam offers guidance on how to sleep properly in the form of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) sleeping habits. It won’t take you long to carry out these short but powerful acts and duas for sleeping. Once you’ve made it a habit, you’ll look forward to doing them every day before bed.
Get Enough Sleep
As part of your sleep hygiene, it’s important to go to bed at a decent hour so you can get up for Fajr prayers on time. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Himself went to sleep early, and only recommends staying up late if you’re performing night prayers.
He also recommends brushing your teeth and reciting:
“Subhan Allah” 33 times
“Alhamdulillah” 33 times
“Allah u Akbar” 34 times.
As well as reciting the Durood Sharif, you should avoid sleeping on your back. In the Islamic religion, Almighty Allah doesn’t approve of back-sleeping, as He perceives it as the way of the shaitan.
Here are some more tips from our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s footsteps. Follow these and, in turn, you’ll transform the simple notion of sleeping into a spiritual and peaceful practice.
Duas to Recite Before Going to Sleep
If you get out of bed and then go back into it, it’s good practice to dust it three times using the corner of your garment. This is in light of the fact you may not know what happened while you were gone. Then once you lie down again, pray this dua before sleeping:
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
Bismika Rabbee wadha’tu janbee, wa bika ‘arfa’uhu, fa’in ‘amsakta nafsee farhamhaa, wa ‘in ‘arsaltahaa fahfadhhaa, bimaa tahfadhu bihi ‘ibaadakas-saaliheen.
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. [Bukhari and Muslim].
When the Prophet (PBUH) was about to fall asleep, he also put his right hand under his cheek. He would then pray this dua three times before sleeping:
اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
Allaahumma qinee ‘athaabaka yawma tab’athu ‘ibaadaka.
O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day Your servants are resurrected. [Abu Dawud]
Zaid bin Thaabit (RA) voiced concerns to Rasulallah (RA) about not being able to fall asleep at times. He was recommended to recite the following dua of sleeping:
اللَّهُمَّ غَارَتِ النُّجُومُ وَهَدَأَتِ الْعُيُونُ وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ قَيُّومٌ * لَا تَأْخُذُكَ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ أَهْدِئْ لَيْلِي وَأَنِمْ عَيْنِي
Allahummah ghaarithinnujumu wa hadaathil uyoonu wa antha hayyun qayyumulla tha’ khudhu ka sinathuwalaa nawmun yaa hayyun yaa qayyoomu a’hde’ laylee wa anim ‘aynee.
Oh, Allah the stars have sunk in and the eyes have become tranquil and quiet and You are alive and everlasting neither does sleep overcome You. Oh, the living and everlasting one make my night my tranquil and give my eyes sleep. [Ibn Sunni, Hisnul Hasin]
If you're afraid of falling asleep, lonely or anxious, recite this sleeping dua:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
A’oothu bikalimaatil-laahit-taammaati min ghadhabihi wa ‘iqaabihi, wa sharri ‘ibaadihi, wa min hamazaatish-shayaateeni wa ‘an yahdhuroon.
I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from His anger and His punishment, from the evil of His slaves and from the taunts of devils and from their presence. [Abu Dawud and Tirmithi]
If you turn over in bed during the night, recite this sleeping dua:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ الْوَاحِدُ اْقَهَّارُ، رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ
Laa ‘ilaaha ‘illallaahul-Waahidul-Qahhaaru, Rabbus-samaawaati wal’ardhi wa maa baynahumal-‘Azeezul-Ghaffaaru.
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. [An-Nasa’i, ‘Amalul-Yawm wal-Laylah, and Ibn As-Sunni]
Perform Wudu as you might for prayer before going to bed, then fall asleep on your right-hand side. Next, recite this dua when sleeping:
اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلّا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
Allahumma aslamtu nafsee ilayk, wafawwadtu amree ilayk, wawajjahtu wajhee ilayk, wa-alja’tu thahree ilayk, raghbatan warahbatan ilayk, la maljaa wala manja minka illa ilayk, amantu bikitabikal-lathee anzalt, wabinabiyyikal-lathee arsalt.
O Allah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is neither refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever says this and dies in his sleep has died in a state of the natural monotheism (Fitrah).” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Quran Ayah's To Recite before Sleeping
Recite the last two Ayats of Surat Al-Baqarah:
‘’Abu Mas’ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “He who recites the two Ayat at the end of Surat Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.” [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]
‘’Narrated An-Nu’man bin Bashir: that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Indeed Allah wrote in a book two thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and He sent down two Ayat from it to end Surat Al-Baqarah with. If they are recited for three nights in a home, no Shaitan shall come near it.” [Tirmidhi]
For protection from the punishment of the grave, recite Surat Al-Mulk (Chapter 67 – The Sovereignty):
‘’The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Surah al Mulk is the protector from the torment of the grave” [Sahihul Jamiea 1/680, Hakim 2/498 & Nasai]
‘’The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There is a surah in the Quran which is only thirty verses. It defended whoever recited it , until it puts him into paradise” i.e., Surah al Mulk [Fath al Qadir 5/257, Sahihul Jamiea 1/680, Tabrani inAl-Awsat & Ibn Mardawaith]
‘’Jabir (Radi Allahu Anhu) said it was the custom of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) not to go to sleep until he had read Tabarakalladhi Biyadihil Mulk and Alif Laam Meem Tanzeel. [Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Darami]
Anas (Radi Allahu Anhu) reported Rasulullah (ﷺ) as saying, “There is a Surah which will plead for its reciter till it causes him to enter paradise” (Tabarakalladhi Biyadihil Mulk). [Tabrani]
Recite Surat Al-Kāfirūn (Chapter 109 – The Disbelievers):
It was narrated that Nawfal al-Ashja’i (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: ‘’The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: “Recite Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kaafiroon then go to sleep at the end of it, for it is a disavowal of shirk.” [Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi]
Recite the last three Sorahs (Quls) of the Quran (Chapter 112-114):
It was narrated from Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-falaq and Qul a’oodhu bi rabb il-naas. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. [Bukhari]
Recite Surat Az-Zumar (Chapter 39 – The Troops) as many times as you can:
“The Prophet (may Allaah be pleased with him) would not go to sleep until he had recited Bani Israa'eel (Soorat al-Isra') and al-Zumar,” ‘Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was reported to have said. [al-Tirmidhi]
In Islam, no question is unanswered. Prophet (PBUH) and Allah have hadiths and statements for every problem you encounter. It’s important to note there’s a wealth of hadiths and findings about sleep, and what we’ve suggested above is only the tip of the iceberg.
In Islam, sleep is encouraged so you can function properly. As shown above, there are specific etiquette and rules that come with it in order to sleep peacefully and religiously.
Shop gifts that remind us of our duas before we sleep.
