Etiquettes of Bedtime

Text and Translation

Dua before sleeping

When you wish to go to bed, you must prepare yourself for meeting death. You must be in a state of ceremonial purity, repent from sinning, evacuate your heart from worldly affairs, bring to mind the end of your lifetime and the time when you will lie alone in your grave without having anyone to entertain you, put your last will under your pillow, and determine to wake up for offering the Night Prayer, which is the pride of the true faithful believer and its adornment in this world as well as the Hereafter. Before sleeping, you may recite Surah al-Tawheed, Surah al-Takasur, and Ayah al-Kursi. You may also repeat the following doxology (zikr) three times:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ عَلَا فَقَهَرَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ بَطَنَ فَخَبَرَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ مَلَكَ فَقَدَرَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ يُحْيِى الْمَوْتىٰ وَ يُمِيْتُ الْاَحْيَاۤءَ وَ هُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.

ALHAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE A’LAA FA-QAHARA WAL HAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE BATANA FA-KHABARA WAL HAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE MALAKA FA-QADARA WAL HAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE YOHYIL MAWTAA WA YOMEETUL AHYAAA-A WA HOWA A’LAA KULLE SHAY-IN QADEERUN.

All praise is for Allah, Who is Exalted and subdues; all praise is for Allah, Who is Hidden and fully aware; all praise is for Allah, Who rules and has absolute power; and all praise is for Allah, Who gives life to the dead and causes death to the living, and He is All-Powerful over all things.

You may then say Tasbih al-Zahra and sleep on your right side, just like the dead in their graves. About sleeping like the moribund, our mentor Shaykh al-Noori has said in his book of Dar al-Salam, “We could not find any report or tradition recommending so except something mentioned by al-Ghazzali. Of course, accuracy lies in opposing him.”

If you intend to wake up for offering the Night Prayer or another thing but you fear lest sleep overcomes you, you may recite the last holy verse of Surah al-Kahf (No. 18):

قُلْ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوْحٰٓى اِلَىَّ اَنَّمَاۤ اِلٰهُكُمْ اِلٰهٌ وَّاحِدٌ‌ ۚ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوْالِقَآءَ رَبِّهٖ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًاوَّلَايُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهٖۤ اَحَدًا‏(110)

QUL INNAMAA ANAA BASHARUM MISLOKUM YOOHAA ELAYYA ANNAMAA ELAAHOKUM ELAAHUNW WAAHEDUN FAMAN KAANA YARJOO LEQAAA-A RABBEHI FAL-YA’-MAL A’MALAN SAALEHANW WA LAA YUSHRIK BE-E’BAADATE RABBEHI AHADAA.

Say: “I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your Allah is one Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said that whoever recites this holy verse at sleeping will certainly wake up at the very time he wants.

Fear of Scorpion

If you fear scorpion or any other arachnid, you may say this supplication, which Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) has guaranteed for anyone who says it safety from stings of scorpions or any pests up to the next morning:

اَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِىْ لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَ لَا فَاجِرٌ مِّنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَءَ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا بَرَءَ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ هُوَ اٰخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا اِنَّ رَبِّىْ عَلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ.

A’OOZO BE-KALEMAATIL LAAHIT TAAMMAATIL LATEE LAA YOJAAWEZOHUNNA BARRUN WA LAA FAAJERUM MIN SHARRE MAA ZARA-A WA MIN SHARRE MAA BARA-A WA MIN SHARRE KULLE DAABBATIN HOWA AAKHEZUM BE-NAASEYATEHAA INNA RABBEE A’LAA SERAATIM MUSTAQEEMIN.

I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah—which neither the righteous nor the wicked can transcend—from the evil of what He has created, from the evil of what He has brought into existence, and from the evil of every creature whose forelock He holds. Indeed, my Lord is upon a straight path.

Fear of Wet Dreams

If you fear wet dreaming, you may say this supplication:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْاِحْتِلَامِ وَ مِنْ سُوْءِ الْاَحْلَامِ وَ مِنْ اَنْ يَّتَلَاعَبَ بِىَ الشَّيْطَانُ فِىْ الْيَقَظَةِ وَ الْمَنَامِ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE A’OOZO BEKA MENAL EHTELAAME WA MIN SOO-IL AHLAAME WA MIN ANY YATALAA-A’BA BEYASH SHAYTAANO FIL YAQAZATE WAL MANAAME.

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from nocturnal emissions, from evil dreams, and from the devil playing tricks on me in wakefulness or in sleep.

Fear of House Collapse

If you fear lest your house or the place where you sleep may collapse on you, you may recite this holy verse of Surah of Faatir (No. 35), Verse 41:

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَ اَنْ تَزُوْلَا ۚوَلَئِنْ زَالَتَاۤ اِنْ اَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ اَحَدٍ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ ؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ حَلِيْمًا غَفُوْرًا‏(41)

INNA LAAHA YUMSEKUS SAMAAWAATE WAL ARZA AN TAZOOLAA WA LA-IN ZAALATAA IN AMSAKAHOMAA MIN AHADIM MIM BA'-DEHI INNAHU KAANA HALEEMAN GHAFOORAN.

Surely Allah upholds the heavens and the earth lest they come to naught; and if they should come to naught, there Is none who can uphold them after Him; surely He is the Forbearing, the Forgiving.

Fear of Thieves

If you fear thieves, you may recite the last two holy verses of Surah al-Isra (No. 17), Verses 110-111:

قُلِ ادْعُوا اللّٰهَ اَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمٰنَ‌ ؕ اَ يًّا مَّا تَدْعُوْا فَلَهُ الْاَسْمَآءُ الْحُسْنٰى ‌ۚ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذٰ لِكَ سَبِيْلًا‏(110)

QOLID U’LLAAHA AWID U’R RAHMAANA AYYAM MAA TAD-O’O FA-LAHUL ASMAAA-UL HUSNAA WA LAA TAJHAR BE-SALAATEKA WA LAA TOKHAAFIT BEHAA WAB TAGHE BAYNA ZAALEKA SABEELAN.

Say: “Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy Prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between.”

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَّلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهٗ شَرِيْكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهٗ وَلِىٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ‌ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيْرًا‏(111)

WA QOLIL HAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE LAM YATTAKHIZ WALADANW WA LAM YAKUL LAHU SHAREEKUN FIL MULKE WA LAM YAKUL LAHU WALIYYUM MENAZ ZULLE WA KABBIRHO TAKBEERAN.

Say: “Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in (His) dominion: Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation: yea, magnify Him for His greatness and glory!”

Applying Kohl (Surmah)

You may also darken your eyes with seven sticks of kohl; four in your right eye and three in the left. While putting kohl, you may say the following supplication:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنّىِْ اَسْئَلُكَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَنْ تُصَلِىَّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ النُّوْرَ فِىْ بَصَرِىْ وَ الْبَصِيْرَةَ فِىْ دِيْنِىْ وَ الْيَقِيْنَ فِىْ قَلْبِىْ وَ الْاِخْلَاصَ فِىْ عَمَلِىْ وَ السَّلَامَةَ فِىْ نَفْسِىْ وَ السَّعَةَ فِىْ رِزْقِىْ وَ الشُكْرَ لَكَ اَبَدًا مَّا اَبْقَيْتَنِىْ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALOKA BE-HAQQE MOHAMMADINW WA AALE MOHAMMADIN AN TOSALLEYA A’LAA MOHAMMADINW WA AALE MOHAMMADINW WA AN TAJ-A’LAN NOORA FEE BASAREE WAL BASEERATA FEE DEENEE WAL YAQEENA FEE QALBEE WAL IKHLAASA FEE A’MALEE WAS SALAAMATA FEE NAFSEE WAS SA-A’TA FEE RIZQEE WASH SHUKRA LAKA ABADAM MAA ABQAYTANEE INNAKA A’LAA KULLE SHAY-IN QADEER.

O Allah, I ask You by the right of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, that You bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and that You place light in my sight, insight in my religion, certainty in my heart, sincerity in my action, safety in my self, abundance in my sustenance, and gratitude to You forever, as long as You keep me alive. Indeed, You are All-Powerful over all things.

It is highly advisable to avoid sleeping in the space of time between dawn (fajr) and sunrise and in the space of time between afternoon and sunset. If you intend to sleep, you should extinguish the lantern and direct yourself towards the kiblah direction. Avoid sleeping on fenceless roofs and avoid telling anyone about what you see in dream except sincere and kind experts.