Dua for Going Back to Sleep
Dua 1: Remembrance and Forgiveness Upon Awakening at Night
Ubadah ibn as-Samit I reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever wakes during the night and says the following, then says, ‘O Allah, forgive me,’ or makes a supplication, his supplication will be answered.”
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ❁ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ ❁ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ❁ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ❁ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ❁ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ❁ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ❁ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ❁ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ❁
Lā ilāha illā Llāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahu l-mulku wa-lahu l-ḥamdu wa-huwa ʿalā kulli shay'in Qadīr. Al-ḥamdu li-Llāhi, wa-subḥāna Llāhi, wa-lā ilāha illā Llāhu, wa-Llāhu akbaru, wa-lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata illā bi-Llāh. Allāhumma ghfir lī.
There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over all things. Praise be to Allah, and glory be to Allah. There is no god but Allah. Allah is the Greatest. There is no power and no strength except through Allah. O Allah, forgive me.
| Reference | Al-Bukhari (1154), Abu Dawud (5060) |
Dua 2: Seeking Forgiveness, Mercy, and Steadfastness When Waking at Night
A’ishah J narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke during the night, he would say this supplication.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ❁ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ ❁ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِذَنْبِي ❁ وَأَسْأَلُكَ رَحْمَتَكَ ❁ اللَّهُمَّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا ❁ وَلَا تُزِغْ قَلْبِي بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنِي ❁ وَهَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ❁ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ ❁
Lā ilāha illā anta, subḥānaka Llāhumma, astaghfiruka li-dhanbī, wa-as'aluka raḥmataka. Allāhumma zidnī ʿilman, wa-lā tuzigh qalbī baʿda idh hadaytanī, wa-hab lī min ladunka raḥmatan, innaka anta l-Wahhāb.
There is no god but You. Glory be to You, O Allah. I ask You to forgive my sin, and I ask You for Your mercy. O Allah, increase me in knowledge, and do not turn my heart away after You have guided me. Grant me mercy from Yourself. Indeed, You are the Ever-Bestowing.
| Reference | Abu Dawud (5061) |
Dua 3: Affirming Allah’s Oneness and Power After Waking at Night
A’ishah J related that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke during the night, he would say this supplication.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ❁ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ ❁
Lā ilāha illā Llāhu l-Wāḥidu l-Qahhāru, Rabbu s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi wa-mā baynahumā l-ʿAzīzu l-Ghaffār.
There is no god but Allah, the One, the All-Subduing, Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.
| Reference | Ibn as-Sunni (762) |
Dua 4: Entrusting One’s Soul to Allah Before Returning to Sleep
Abu Hurayrah I narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When one of you goes to his bed, let him dust it with the edge of his waist-wrapper, for he does not know what may have come upon it after him. Then let him say:”
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي ❁ وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ ❁ فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا ❁ وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ ❁
Bismika Rabbī waḍaʿtu janbī wa-bika arfaʿuhu, fa-in amsakta nafsī fa-rḥamhā, wa-in arsaltahā fa-ḥfaẓhā bi-mā taḥfaẓu bihi ʿibādaka ṣ-ṣāliḥīn.
In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I raise it. If You retain my soul, have mercy on it; and if You release it, protect it with that by which You protect Your righteous slaves.
| Reference | At-Tirmidhi (3401) |
Dua 5: Glorifying Allah in the Night
When Abu ad-Darda I would rise in the middle of the night, he would say this.
نَامَتِ الْعُيُونُ ❁ وَغَارَتْ النُّجُومُ ❁ وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ قَيُّومٌ ❁
Nāmati l-ʿuyūnu, wa-ghārati n-nujūmu, wa-anta Ḥayyun Qayyūm.
The eyes have fallen asleep, the stars have set, and You are the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting.
| Reference | Muwatta Malik |
