Sleep & Wake

After a Bad Dream — Audhu bi-Kalimatillah

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 3893

أَعُوذُبِكَلِمَاتِاللَّهِالتَّامَّاتِمِنْغَضَبِهِوَعِقَابِهِ،وَشَرِّعِبَادِهِ،وَمِنْهَمَزَاتِالشَّيَاطِينِوَأَنْيَحْضُرُونِ

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Transliteration

A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi at-tammati min ghadabihi wa iqabihi, wa sharri ibadihi, wa min hamazatish-shayatini wa an yahdurun

Translation

I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, from the evil of His servants, from the whisperings of devils, and from their presence.

Context

This supplication, documented in Sunan Abu Dawud (3893), is a profound invocation for seeking divine refuge. It is specifically recommended for recitation after experiencing an unsettling or bad dream, serving as a spiritual shield against potential harm. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed his companions in this powerful prayer to counter the adverse influences, including those from Shaytan, that may manifest in such visions.

Benefit

Reciting this dua offers profound spiritual protection from the whispers and presence of devils, Allah's anger, and the evil of His creation. It instills a sense of peace and reliance on Allah's perfect words for ultimate security.

When to Recite

Recite this dua immediately upon waking from a bad or disturbing dream.

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Sleep & Wake

Before Sleeping — Ayat al-Kursi

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ، لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ، لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ…

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… (Recite all of verse 2:255.)

Sleep & Wake

Before Sleeping — The Three Quls

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ … قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ … قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

Recite Surah al-Ikhlas, Surah al-Falaq, and Surah an-Nas three times each, then blow into your palms and wipe over your body, starting with the head and face and the front of the body.

Sleep & Wake

Before Sleeping — Bismika Allahumma Amutu wa Ahya

بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا

In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.

Sleep & Wake

Dua for Protection Before Sleep

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّتِكَ الَّتِي لاَ تَرْتَدُّ، أَنْ تُضِلَّنِي، أَنْتَ الْأَرْضُ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوْ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجِلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي.

O Allah, I seek refuge in Your might, which never wanes, that You lead me astray. You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. I ask You by every name that You have called Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen which You possess, that You make the Quran the springtime of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness, and the reliever of my worries.

Sleep & Wake

Dua Before Sleep — Seeking Refuge in Allah's Noble Face

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيمِ، وَبِكَلِمَاتِكَ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بِرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ، أَنْ تُقَلِّبَ عَلَيَّ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، وَأَنْ تُصِيبَنِي وَحْدَةٌ، أَوْ خَوْفٌ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ.

O Allah, I seek refuge with Your Noble Face, and with Your Perfect Words, which no righteous person or wicked person exceeds, from turning over the night and the day upon me, and from being struck by loneliness or fear of an enemy.

Sleep & Wake

Dua for Protection Before Sleeping

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ، أَخَذَ بِقَبْضَتِهِ شَعْرَ رَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ جَمَعَ أَطْرَافَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَكَانَ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ غُلاَمٌ يَخْدُمُهُ، فَلَمْ يَنَمْ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ، طَلَبَ فَلَمْ يَسْمَعْهُ، فَقَالَ مَا صَنَعْتَ قَالَ مَا سَمِعْتُهَا رُبَّمَا قُلْتُهَا، قَالَ مَا بِهَذِهِ أُعِيذُكَ ‏.‏

When any one of you goes to bed, he should take hold of the hem of his garment and say: 'O Allah, protect me from before me and from behind me, from my left and from my right, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your Magnificence from being taken away from beneath me.' The Prophet ﷺ taught this dua for protection during sleep.