Mishkat al-Masabih

Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib said that when God’s messenger went to bed he lay on his right side and then said, “O God, I have handed over my soul to Thee, turned my face to Thee, entrusted my affairs to Thee, and committed my back to Thee out of desire for and fear of Thee. There is no refuge and no place of safety from Thee except by having recourse to Thee. I believe in Thy Book which Thou hast sent down and in Thy Prophet whom Thou hast sent.” God’s messenger said that if anyone repeated these words and died that night, he would die in the true religion. In a version he reported God’s messenger as telling a man to perform the ablution for prayer when he went to bed, lie down on his right side, and say, “O God, I have handed over my soul to Thee . . . Thou hast sent.” He added, “If you die during the night you will die in the true religion, and if you live till the morning you will obtain good.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that when God’s messenger went to his bed he said, “Praise be to God who has fed us, given us drink, satisfied us and given us refuge. Many there are who have no one to provide sufficiency for them, or give them refuge.” Muslim transmitted it.

He visited us when we had gone to bed, and when we were about to get up he told us to stay where we were. He then came and sat down between her and me, and I felt the coldness of his foot on my belly. He then said, “Let me guide you to something better than what you have asked. When you go to bed, say ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times. That will be better for you than a servant.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that when Fatima went to the Prophet and asked him for a servant, he said, “Let me guide you to something which is better than a servant. You should say ‘Glory be to God thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God" thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times at each time of prayer and when you go to bed.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger would say in the morning, "O God, by, Thee we come to the morning, by Thee we come to the evening, by Thee we live, by Thee we die, and to Thee do we come." In the evening he said, “O God, by Thee we come to the evening, by Thee we come to the morning, by Thee we live, by Thee we die, and to Thee are we resurrected.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He told how Abu Bakr said he had asked God’s messenger to command him something to say in the morning and the evening, and he had told him to say, “O God, who knowest the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Possessor of everything, I testify that there is no god but Thee; I seek refuge in Thee from the evil within myself, from the evil of the devil and his .”* He instructed him to say it morning and evening, and when he went to bed. *The Arabic word may be read either as shirk (attributing a partner to God), or as sharah (snare). The former is preferred. Cf. Mirqat, ili, 99. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Aban b. ‘Uthman said he heard his father quoting God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says three times every morning and evening, “In the name of God, when whose name is mentioned nothing in earth or heaven can cause harm, and He is the Hearer, the Knower,” he will not be harmed by anything. Aban was afflicted by some paralysis, and when a man began to look at him Aban would say, “Why are you looking at me? The tradition is as I told it to you, but I did not say the words that day in order that God might carry out what He had decreed for me.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud transmitted it. Abu Dawud’s version has, “He will not suffer sudden affliction till the morning, and if anyone says it in the morning he will not suffer sudden affliction till the evening.”

"We have come to the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God..." *The transmitter was not sure which word was used. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi did not mention "from the evil of infidelity" in his version.

One of the Prophet's daughters said that he used to teach her, telling her to say in the morning, "Glory be to God, and I begin with praise of Him; there is no power but in God; what God wills comes to pass, and what He does not will does not come to pass; I know that God is omnipotent and that God has comprehended everything in knowledge;" for whoever says it in the morning will be guarded till the evening, and whoever says it in the evening will be guarded till the morning. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone repeats in the morning, "So glory be to God in the evening and in the morning; to Him is the praise in the heavens and the earth; and in the late evening and at noon .. . thus shall you be brought forth," he will get that day what he has missed; and if anyone repeats these words in the evening he will get that night what he has missed. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu ‘Ayyash reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says in the morning, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent,” he will have a reward equivalent to that for setting free a slave from among the descendants of Ishmael, will have ten good deeds recorded for him, will have ten evil deeds deducted from him, will be advanced ten degrees, and will be guarded from the devil till the evening. If he says them in the evening he will have a similar recompense till the morning. Hammad b. Salama said that a man saw God’s messenger in a dream and said, “Messenger of God, Abu ‘Ayyash is relating such and such on your authority,” to which he received the reply, “Abu ‘Ayyash has spoken the truth.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Harith b. Muslim at-Tamimi quoted his father as saying that God’s messenger told him secretly to say seven times when he had finished the sunset prayer, before speaking to anyone, “O God, protect me from hell”; for if he said that and died that night, exemption from it would be recorded for him. He also told him to say that when he had prayed the morning prayer, for if he died that day, exemption from it would be recorded for him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s messenger never failed to use these words evening and morning, “O God, I ask Thee for security in this world and the next; O God, I ask Thee for forgiveness and security in my religion and my worldly affairs, in my family and my property; O God, conceal my faults and keep me safe from the things which I fear; O God, guard me in front of me and behind me, on my right hand and on my left, and from above me; and I seek refuge in Thy greatness from receiving unexpected harm from below me.” Waki‘ said he meant being swallowed up by the earth. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says in the morning, “O God, in the morning we call Thee, the bearers of Thy Throne, Thy angels and all Thy creatures to witness that Thou art God than whom alone there is no god, being without a partner, and that Muhammad is Thy servant and messenger,” God will forgive him any sins he commits that day; and if he says it in the evening, God will forgive him any sins he commits that night. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying that if any Muslim says three times evening and morning, "I am pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet," God will certainly please him on the day of resurrection. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Hudhaifa said that when the Prophet wanted to go to sleep he placed his hand under his head and said, "O God, guard me from thy punishment on the day when Thou gatherest Thy servants," or "raisest up Thy servants." Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad gave al-Bara’ as his authority.

Hafsa said that when God’s messenger wanted to go to sleep he put his right hand under his cheek, and would then say three times, "O God, guard me from Thy punishment on the day when Thou raisest up Thy servants." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali reported that God’s messenger used to say when he lay down, "O God, I seek refuge in Thy noble Person and in Thy perfect words from the evil of what Thou seizest by its forelock; O God, Thou removest debt and sin; O God, Thy troop is not routed, Thy promise is not broken, and the riches of the rich do not avail against Thee. Glory and praise be unto Thee." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says three times when going to bed, "I ask the forgiveness of God than whom there is no god, the Living, the Eternal, and I turn in repentance to Him," God will forgive him his sins, even if they are like the foam of the sea, or in number like the sand which is accumulated,* or as many as the leaves of the trees, or as numerous as the days of this world. *The word is ‘alij. Some say ‘Alij is a place in the desert, the translation being ‘the sand of ‘Alij; others treat it as translated above. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Shaddad b. Aus reported God’s messenger as saying, "If any Muslim recites a sura from God’s Book when he goes to bed, God will put an angel in charge of him, and nothing which may harm him will come near him till he wakes". Tirmidhi transmitted it.