- The best time for the morning adhkar is between Fajr and sunrise, and for the evening adhkar between Asr and sunset.
- The core is Ayat al-Kursi and Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times (Abu Dawud 5082), plus the supplications below.
- They are a Sunnah, not an obligation. Keep what you can, daily, and add to it slowly.
- A full round takes about ten minutes, and a short round about three.
- Say them in Arabic when you can, with the meaning in mind. Learn them with a teacher if you read slowly.
What the morning and evening adhkar are
Dhikr means remembrance, and adhkar is its plural. In everyday use the word covers anything by which a Muslim remembers Allah: the tasbih after prayer, the istighfar before sleep, the short phrases said when entering the house. The morning and evening adhkar are a particular group of these. They are the words the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught his companions to say when they began the day and when they ended it.
They are not one single text. There is no one hadith that hands us the whole list, and that surprises people who expect a booklet from the Prophet’s own time. What we have is a collection of authentic reports, each from a different companion on a different occasion: one about a short surah, one about a supplication he taught his daughter, one about a phrase he said on his own. Scholars such as an-Nawawi gathered them into chapters, and the later book Hisn al-Muslim arranged them into the order most of us know. The list below follows the same idea, but keeps only what has a source we can name.
One thing to be clear about from the start. These adhkar are not magic words, and they are not a bargain with Allah. They are a way of beginning the day acknowledging Who you belong to, and ending it the same way. If the heart is absent, the tongue alone does little, and if the heart is present, even the shortest dhikr can change how a day feels.
Why morning and evening? The Quran’s own words
The habit rests on the Quran before it rests on any hadith. Allah commands remembrance in general, and then names these two ends of the day again and again.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ذِكْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا ﴿41﴾ وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةًۭ وَأَصِيلًا ﴿42﴾
(41) O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance (42) And exalt Him morning and afternoon.
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzab 33:41-42فَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ ءَانَآئِ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ ٱلنَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ
So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.
Quran, Surah Ta-Ha 20:130فَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ ﴿17﴾ وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَعَشِيًّۭا وَحِينَ تُظْهِرُونَ ﴿18﴾
(17) So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning. (18) And to Him is [due all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And [exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.
Quran, Surah Ar-Rum 30:17-18وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخِيفَةًۭ وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْءَاصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْغَٰفِلِينَ
And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.
Quran, Surah Al-Araf 7:205Read those four together and a pattern appears. The two times are dawn and the late afternoon, the time “before the rising of the sun” and “before its setting”. They are also the times when the angels of the night and the angels of the day change over, a point made in the hadith that they gather at Fajr and at Asr (Sahih al-Bukhari 555, Sahih Muslim 632). It is a fitting moment to be found remembering Allah.
And the last ayah in that group has a warning with it: “do not be among the heedless.” Heedlessness is the real enemy of a busy life. The adhkar are a modest, daily way to stay out of it. Allah also tells us what remembrance does to the heart:
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured."
Quran, Surah Ar-Rad 13:28When to say them
The morning adhkar
The best time is after the Fajr prayer, from the end of the prayer until the sun rises. The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to remain in his place of prayer after Fajr until the sun had risen well (Sahih Muslim 670). Juwayriyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, was sitting in her prayer place after Fajr when he left her, and when he came back after Duha she was still there (Sahih Muslim 2726). The same hadith contains a dhikr we will meet below.
The Prophet also said that to sit with people remembering Allah from Fajr until the sun rises is more beloved to him than to free some slaves, and the same for Asr until sunset (Abu Dawud 3667). The chain of that report is accepted as hasan.
The evening adhkar
The evening adhkar are said after Asr, until sunset. If you are at work, in a shop, or on the road, say them as soon as you can after Asr rather than leaving them to the night.
How long does the window last?
Scholars differ here, and it helps to know that there is room. Many say the morning set remains valid until the sun is high, with some stretching it to midday. For the evening set, they allow it up to Maghrib and into the early night. If you are late, it is far better to say them than to skip them. We will return to this question under the heading “If you miss them”.
Morning and evening adhkar are mustahabb, recommended and loved, not wajib. This is not a call for guilt. If you only reach part of the list on a busy day, you have still done something good. Build up gradually.
The morning and evening adhkar, one by one
Everything in this section is said both in the morning and in the evening unless it is marked otherwise. Where the wording changes between morning and evening, both versions are given. Counts are noted under each. If a dhikr has no stated number, it is said once.
1. Ayat al-Kursi
The greatest ayah in the Quran, by the Prophet’s own description. It is mostly known as the ayah of protection at bedtime and after the prayers, but it also belongs here. A report in al-Hakim, graded sahih by al-Albani, says that whoever recites it in the morning is protected until evening, and whoever recites it in the evening is protected until morning. Say it once. To understand it line by line, read what Ayat al-Kursi and Surah Al-Ikhlas mean.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:2552. Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas
Abdullah ibn Khubayb, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, told him to recite Qul huwa Allahu ahad and the two surahs of refuge when evening and morning came, three times each, and said it would suffice him against everything (Abu Dawud 5082, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi). “Suffice” is a rich word. It means that these three surahs cover the one who recites them. Say each three times.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿1﴾ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ﴿2﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿3﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ ﴿4﴾
qul huwa l-lahu aḥadun · al-lahu l-ṣamadu · lam yalid walam yūlad · walam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥadun
(1) Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, (2) Allah, the Eternal Refuge. (3) He neither begets nor is born, (4) Nor is there to Him any equivalent."
Quran, Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ ﴿1﴾ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ﴿2﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ﴿3﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّٰثَٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ﴿4﴾ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿5﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-falaqi · min sharri mā khalaqa · wamin sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqaba · wamin sharri l-nafāthāti fī l-ʿuqadi · wamin sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasada
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak (2) From the evil of that which He created (3) And from the evil of darkness when it settles (4) And from the evil of the blowers in knots (5) And from the evil of an envier when he envies."
Quran, Surah Al-Falaq 113:1-5بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿1﴾ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿2﴾ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿3﴾ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ﴿4﴾ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ﴿5﴾ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ ﴿6﴾
qul aʿūdhu birabbi l-nāsi · maliki l-nāsi · ilāhi l-nāsi · min sharri l-waswāsi l-khanāsi · alladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri l-nāsi · mina l-jinati wal-nāsi
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, (2) The Sovereign of mankind. (3) The God of mankind, (4) From the evil of the retreating whisperer - (5) Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - (6) From among the jinn and mankind."
Quran, Surah An-Nas 114:1-63. “We have reached the morning, and the dominion is Allah’s”
The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to say this when evening came, and the morning version when morning came (Sahih Muslim 2723). It is a compact summary of everything a person wants at the edge of a day: the sovereignty of Allah, the good of what is coming, safety from the harm of what is coming, and refuge from laziness and from the trials of the grave. Say it once.
أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ وَخَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ فِي النَّارِ وَعَذَابٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ
Asbahna wa asbahal-mulku lillah, walhamdu lillah, la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir. Rabbi as’aluka khayra ma fi hadhal-yawmi wa khayra ma ba‘dah, wa a‘udhu bika min sharri ma fi hadhal-yawmi wa sharri ma ba‘dah. Rabbi a‘udhu bika minal-kasali wa su’il-kibar. Rabbi a‘udhu bika min ‘adhabin fin-nari wa ‘adhabin fil-qabr.
We have reached the morning and the dominion belongs to Allah, and all praise is for Allah. There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this day and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil of what follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and the misery of old age. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from punishment in the Fire and punishment in the grave.
Sahih Muslim 2723أَمْسَيْنَا وَأَمْسَى الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَخَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهَا، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهَا، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ فِي النَّارِ وَعَذَابٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ
Amsayna wa amsal-mulku lillah, walhamdu lillah, la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir. Rabbi as’aluka khayra ma fi hadhihil-laylati wa khayra ma ba‘daha, wa a‘udhu bika min sharri ma fi hadhihil-laylati wa sharri ma ba‘daha. Rabbi a‘udhu bika minal-kasali wa su’il-kibar. Rabbi a‘udhu bika min ‘adhabin fin-nari wa ‘adhabin fil-qabr.
We have reached the evening and the dominion belongs to Allah, and all praise is for Allah… My Lord, I ask You for the good of this night and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it… (the rest is the same as the morning version).
Sahih Muslim 27234. “O Allah, by You we have reached the morning”
The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught his companions to say this when they woke and when evening came (Abu Dawud 5068, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3391). Look at what it does. In one breath it places your waking, your living, your dying and your resurrection in Allah’s hands. It is short enough to learn in a single sitting. Say it once.
اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ أَصْبَحْنَا، وَبِكَ أَمْسَيْنَا، وَبِكَ نَحْيَا، وَبِكَ نَمُوتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ النُّشُورُ
Allahumma bika asbahna, wa bika amsayna, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaykan-nushur.
O Allah, by You we have reached the morning, by You we reach the evening, by You we live and by You we die, and to You is the resurrection.
Abu Dawud 5068, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3391اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ أَمْسَيْنَا، وَبِكَ أَصْبَحْنَا، وَبِكَ نَحْيَا، وَبِكَ نَمُوتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
Allahumma bika amsayna, wa bika asbahna, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaykal-masir.
O Allah, by You we have reached the evening, by You we reach the morning, by You we live and by You we die, and to You is the final return.
Abu Dawud 5068, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 33915. Sayyid al-Istighfar, the master of seeking forgiveness
Shaddad ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, called this the best way of asking forgiveness. He then said that whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies that day before evening, is among the people of Paradise, and whoever says it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before morning, is among the people of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306). Notice the condition “with firm faith in it”. It is a dua to be said with understanding. Say it once.
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta rabbi, la ilaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastata‘t. A‘udhu bika min sharri ma sana‘t. Abu’u laka bini‘matika ‘alayya, wa abu’u bidhanbi faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant.
O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I keep Your covenant and Your promise as far as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.
Sahih al-Bukhari 63066. “I am pleased with Allah as my Lord”
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever says this three times when morning comes and three times when evening comes, it is a right upon Allah to please him on the Day of Resurrection (Abu Dawud 5072, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3389). It is one of the shortest items in the list, and a good one to say while you are walking to the car. Say it three times.
رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا
Radiytu billahi rabba, wa bil-islami dina, wa bi-Muhammadin nabiyya.
I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad as my Prophet.
Abu Dawud 5072, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 33897. “In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing can cause harm”
Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever says this three times each morning and evening will not be harmed by anything (Abu Dawud 5088, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3388). Say it three times. Its place in a guide to protection from magic is covered in our guide on protecting yourself from sihr, so here we keep to the dua itself.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahilladhi la yadurru ma‘asmihi shay’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’i wa huwas-sami‘ul-‘alim.
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Abu Dawud 5088, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 33888. “O Allah, I ask You for well-being”
Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, never left these words morning or evening (Abu Dawud 5074, Sunan Ibn Majah 3871). It is a supplication for the whole person: religion, worldly life, family, wealth, privacy, fear, and being guarded from every direction. The final line is the most unusual: “I seek refuge in Your greatness from being struck down from beneath me”, which scholars explain as sinking into the earth. Say it once.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي
Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afiyata fid-dunya wal-akhirah. Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afwa wal-‘afiyata fi dini wa dunyaya wa ahli wa mali. Allahummastur ‘awrati wa amin raw‘ati. Allahummahfazni min bayni yadayya wa min khalfi, wa ‘an yamini wa ‘an shimali, wa min fawqi, wa a‘udhu bi‘azamatika an ughtala min tahti.
O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the next. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly life, my family and my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right and my left and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your greatness from being struck down from beneath me.
Abu Dawud 5074, Sunan Ibn Majah 38719. “O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen”
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, to teach him something to say in the morning and in the evening, and he gave him these words, adding that they should also be said when going to bed (Abu Dawud 5067, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3392). It is a dua about the self. The believer admits that the greatest danger may be inside him and not outside. Say it once.
اللَّهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ
Allahumma ‘alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadah, fatiras-samawati wal-ard, rabba kulli shay’in wa malikah, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa ant, a‘udhu bika min sharri nafsi wa min sharrish-shaytani wa shirkih.
O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Master of everything, I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil of Shaytan and his calling to shirk.
Abu Dawud 5067, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 339210. “O Ever-Living, O Sustainer”
Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, told his daughter Fatimah to say this each morning and evening instead of leaving the matter to herself (an-Nasa’i, Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah, and al-Hakim; graded hasan by al-Albani). If you must choose one dua for a hard season, this might be it. Say it once.
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum, bi-rahmatika astaghith, aslih li sha’ni kullah, wa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn.
O Ever-Living, O Sustainer of all, in Your mercy I call for help. Set right all my affairs, and do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye.
an-Nasa’i (Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah) and al-Hakim11. “We have reached the morning upon the fitrah of Islam”
Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abza reported from his father that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to say this when he reached the morning (Musnad Ahmad). In the evening say amsayna in place of asbahna. It renews the basics of faith each day: the shahadah, the Prophet’s way, and the creed of Ibrahim. Say it once.
أَصْبَحْنَا عَلَى فِطْرَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَعَلَى كَلِمَةِ الْإِخْلَاصِ، وَعَلَى دِينِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَعَلَى مِلَّةِ أَبِينَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
Asbahna ‘ala fitratil-Islam, wa ‘ala kalimatil-ikhlas, wa ‘ala dini nabiyyina Muhammadin ṣallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wa ‘ala millati abina Ibrahima hanifan musliman wa ma kana minal-mushrikin.
We have reached the morning upon the natural faith of Islam, upon the word of sincerity, upon the religion of our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and upon the way of our father Ibrahim, upright and Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists.
Musnad Ahmad12. Tasbih: “Glory and praise be to Allah”
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever says “Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi” one hundred times in the morning and one hundred times in the evening, no one will come on the Day of Resurrection with anything better than what he brought, except someone who said the same or more (Sahih Muslim 2692). A hundred sounds like a lot, but at an easy pace it takes about two minutes. If it is too much to begin with, start with thirty-three and grow.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi.
Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him.
Sahih Muslim 269213. The tasbih Juwayriyyah heard after Fajr
We met Juwayriyyah above, sitting in her prayer place. When the Prophet, peace be upon him, came back, he said that he had said four words three times after leaving her, which, if weighed against everything she had said that morning, would outweigh it (Sahih Muslim 2726). It is a morning dhikr in particular, as it belongs to the time after Fajr. Say it three times.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ عَدَدَ خَلْقِهِ، وَرِضَا نَفْسِهِ، وَزِنَةَ عَرْشِهِ، وَمِدَادَ كَلِمَاتِهِ
Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi ‘adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wa zinata ‘arshihi, wa midada kalimatih.
Glory and praise be to Allah, as many times as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne, and as much as the ink of His words.
Sahih Muslim 272614. “La ilaha illallah wahdahu…” one hundred times in the day
This one is not tied only to the morning, but many people begin it after Fajr and so it sits naturally here. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever says it one hundred times in a day has the reward of freeing ten slaves, has one hundred good deeds written for him, has one hundred bad deeds erased, and has a protection from Shaytan that day until evening (Sahih al-Bukhari 3293, Sahih Muslim 2691). Notice the wording: it is a total for the whole day, which you can spread out.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir.
There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3293, Sahih Muslim 269115. For the evening: the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever recites the last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009, Sahih Muslim 807). Scholars take “at night” to include the early evening, so many people say them with the evening adhkar. Say them once.
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿285﴾ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿286﴾
āmana l-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wal-mu'minūna kullun āmana bil-lahi wamalāikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadin min rusulihi waqālū samiʿ'nā wa-aṭaʿnā ghuf'rānaka rabbanā wa-ilayka l-maṣīru · lā yukallifu l-lahu nafsan illā wus'ʿahā lahā mā kasabat waʿalayhā mā ik'tasabat rabbanā lā tuākhidh'nā in nasīnā aw akhṭanā rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣ'ran kamā ḥamaltahu ʿalā alladhīna min qablinā rabbanā walā tuḥammil'nā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bihi wa-uʿ'fu ʿannā wa-igh'fir lanā wa-ir'ḥamnā anta mawlānā fa-unṣur'nā ʿalā l-qawmi l-kāfirīna
(285) The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (286) Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:285-28616. For the morning: asking for knowledge, provision and accepted deeds
Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that when the Prophet, peace be upon him, finished the Fajr prayer, he used to say this (Sunan Ibn Majah 925). Scholars differ over the strength of its chain, with some grading it hasan and others weak, so treat it as a recommended dua rather than as a fixed part of the morning adhkar. It asks for the three things that make a day count: knowledge you can use, income that is lawful, and actions that Allah accepts. Say it once, after the salam of Fajr.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi‘a, wa rizqan tayyiba, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbala.
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision and deeds that are accepted.
Sunan Ibn Majah 925Sending blessings on the Prophet
Allah commands it directly, and it needs no special count or time.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا
Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzab 33:56Say “Allahumma salli wa sallim ‘ala nabiyyina Muhammad” whenever you wish, as often as you like, including in the mornings and evenings. A fixed promise attached to ten repetitions is another matter, as we explain under “What we left out”.
Quick reference table
This table lists the whole set at a glance. “Both” means morning and evening.
| Dhikr | Times | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayat al-Kursi (2:255) | 1 | Both | Quran; al-Hakim |
| Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas | 3 each | Both | Abu Dawud 5082 |
| Asbahna wa asbahal-mulku lillah | 1 | Both | Sahih Muslim 2723 |
| Allahumma bika asbahna | 1 | Both | Abu Dawud 5068; Tirmidhi 3391 |
| Sayyid al-Istighfar | 1 | Both | Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 |
| Radiytu billahi rabba | 3 | Both | Abu Dawud 5072; Tirmidhi 3389 |
| Bismillahilladhi la yadurru | 3 | Both | Abu Dawud 5088; Tirmidhi 3388 |
| Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afiyah | 1 | Both | Abu Dawud 5074; Ibn Majah 3871 |
| Allahumma ‘alimal-ghayb | 1 | Both | Abu Dawud 5067; Tirmidhi 3392 |
| Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum | 1 | Both | an-Nasa’i; al-Hakim |
| Asbahna ‘ala fitratil-Islam | 1 | Both | Musnad Ahmad |
| Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi | 100 | Both | Sahih Muslim 2692 |
| Subhanallahi… ‘adada khalqihi | 3 | Morning | Sahih Muslim 2726 |
| La ilaha illallah wahdahu | 100 | Any time in the day | Bukhari 3293; Muslim 2691 |
| Last two ayat of Al-Baqarah | 1 | Evening | Bukhari 5009; Muslim 807 |
| Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi‘a | 1 | After Fajr | Ibn Majah 925 |
A short routine and a full routine
If you look at the list and feel it is too much, you are not wrong. Nobody learns all sixteen in a week. What matters is a routine that is small enough to survive a tiring Tuesday.
The three-minute round
- Ayat al-Kursi, once.
- Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, three times each.
- “Radiytu billahi rabba…”, three times.
- “Bismillahilladhi la yadurru…”, three times.
The ten-minute round
Add the others in the order given above: the “Asbahna” dua, “Allahumma bika asbahna”, the master of istighfar, the dua for well-being, “Allahumma ‘alimal-ghayb”, “Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum”, and then the one hundred tasbih. In the evening, finish with the last two ayat of Al-Baqarah. In the morning, add the dua of Umm Salamah after the Fajr salam, and the three tasbih of Juwayriyyah.
A sensible way to build up is to take one new item a week. Week one: the three-minute round. Week two: add the istighfar. Week three: the well-being dua. By the end of a couple of months you will find that the full round is on your tongue without the book.
Making it a habit that lasts
Most people who fail at the adhkar do not fail through lack of love. They fail because the plan was bigger than the day. A few things that our teachers see working.
- Tie them to a fixed moment. Right after you finish the Fajr salam, before you pick up your phone. In the evening, just after Asr. A habit hung on an existing habit is far more likely to last than one that floats.
- Say them aloud, softly. Hearing yourself helps the tongue and the heart stay together. In a shared room, a whisper is enough.
- Count on your hand. The Prophet, peace be upon him, counted his tasbih on his right hand, as the hadith in Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi says. A tasbih bead string is also fine, and many scholars say so.
- Learn the meaning. The ayah says hearts find rest in remembrance (13:28), and a heart can only rest in words it understands. Read the English line under each dua once a week.
- Keep going after a missed day. If you miss them, say them when you remember, and carry on tomorrow. You do not owe a double portion.
If you miss them
Imagine a nurse coming off a night shift who finishes Fajr, falls asleep, and wakes at noon. She has not lost the adhkar. She can say them as soon as she wakes, and her intention is rewarded. The extra virtue of the best window is lost, but the dhikr is not. The same applies to the evening set if you are caught on the road at Maghrib. Allah says “So remember Me; I will remember you” (2:152), without making the offer expire at sunrise.
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152What we left out, and why
If you have seen longer lists, you may notice that a few popular items are not here. That is deliberate. We have not included an adhkar simply because it is widely repeated.
- Ten times salawat with a promise of intercession. The report is weak, so we do not attach that reward to it. Sending blessings on the Prophet is always encouraged without it.
- “Allahumma inni asbahtu ushhiduka…” four times, with freedom from the Fire. Scholars differ on its chain, with al-Albani grading it weak, so we have left it out of the main list. If you wish to say it, take the view of a scholar you trust.
- “Allahumma ‘afini fi badani…” three times. Likewise graded differently, and it is easily left out without loss.
- Recitation of Surah Ya-Sin in the morning, with the promise that your needs for the day will be met. The chain is weak.
None of this makes them forbidden. It only means we do not present them as a Sunnah with a fixed reward. If a scholar who knows the science of hadith recommends one of them, that is for you to follow with their guidance.
The same restraint applies to the rewards that are authentic. A hadith says what it says. It does not promise a result outside what it states, and it does not replace the five prayers, the Quran, honest work, medical care or good character. Treat the adhkar as one pillar of a life that stands on others.
Teaching the adhkar to children
The children who say them easily are usually the ones who heard their parents say them every morning. Start by letting them listen. When they are old enough, choose three short items: Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas. They are short, they are in the Quran so pronunciation can be checked, and they carry the most reward for the least effort.
A few practical ideas. Say them together at breakfast or in the car on the school run. Give a younger child just the first one for a week. Praise the attempt before correcting the letters. When a child stumbles on a sound, such as the kha in Falaq or the heavy qaf, that is a tajweed matter, and it is a thing a teacher is trained to fix gently.
The same goes for adults who have read the transliteration for years and are not sure it sounds right. If this is you, you are not alone, and it is quicker to fix than you think. Our teachers take learners through exactly these surahs in the first lessons, and you can book a free 30-minute class to have your recitation heard. For the wider routine of Quran recitation at home, see our guide to the daily recitation routine, and for the supplications that appear in the Quran itself, search our Quran duas page.
The day has two doors, one at dawn and one at dusk. A person who passes through both with a few words of remembrance has done something small and lasting. Start with three minutes tomorrow after Fajr.
Morning and evening adhkar: your questions answered
The morning adhkar are best said between Fajr and sunrise, and the evening adhkar between Asr and sunset. Scholars allow some flexibility on either side: the morning set can be recited until the sun is well up, or even until midday, and the evening set until Maghrib or into the early night. Saying them in the best window is better, but a late recitation still counts as remembrance of Allah.
No. They are a recommended Sunnah, not a fard like the five prayers. Missing them is not a sin, but the Prophet, peace be upon him, was consistent in them, and a person who keeps them as a daily habit gains a great deal for very little time.
Recite them when you remember. There is no penalty, and scholars say the reward of the dhikr remains even if the best time has gone, though you do not get the extra virtue of the window itself. Do not give up the habit because you missed a day. Simply start again the next morning.
Wudu is not required to make dhikr, and you can say these adhkar walking, sitting or standing. It is recommended, however, if you will be handling a printed mushaf. Reading from a phone or a card is fine while you are learning, and memorising them over a few weeks is a good goal.
Say them in Arabic whenever you can, because the Prophet’s own words are the ones he taught. While you are learning, read the transliteration and keep the English meaning beside it so your heart follows what your tongue says. In the meantime you may also make dhikr and dua in any language. A teacher can take you from transliteration to the Arabic text in a few lessons.
Ayat al-Kursi once, Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas three times each, and the short “Radiytu billahi rabba…” three times take about three minutes. Add one hundred times “Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi” when you can. Short and daily is better than long and rare.
Yes, most of the adhkar are plain supplications and are fine at any time. For the Quranic parts, Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls, many contemporary scholars allow a woman in her period to recite them from memory as dhikr and for protection, while she avoids touching the mushaf. Because scholars differ on details, ask a scholar you trust for your own situation.
No. Many circulating lists mix authentic adhkar with weak or unsourced ones, for example sending blessings upon the Prophet ten times with a promise of intercession, which is not authentic. This page keeps to adhkar with a source in the main collections and says where scholars differ. Check any list for a collection and a grading before you adopt it.
Sources
This guide is educational and was written by the teachers of Virtual Quran Center from the sources below. It is not a fatwa. Where scholars differ on a ruling or a grading, we say so, and for personal questions you should ask a trusted scholar.
- Quran: 2:152, 2:255, 2:285-286, 7:205, 13:28, 20:130, 30:17-18, 33:41-42, 33:56, 112, 113, 114.
- Sahih al-Bukhari: 555, 3293, 5009, 6306.
- Sahih Muslim: 632, 670, 807, 2691, 2692, 2723, 2726.
- Other collections: Abu Dawud 3667, 5067, 5068, 5072, 5074, 5082, 5088; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3388, 3391, 3392; Sunan Ibn Majah 925, 3871; al-Hakim and an-Nasa’i (Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah); Musnad Ahmad.
