Evening Azkar · 1 of 23
Ayat al-Kursi
The Greatest Protection
Arabic
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Transliteration
A'oodhu billaahi minash-Shaytaanir-rajeem. Allaahu laa ilaaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom, laa ta'khudhuhu sinatuw-wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samawaati wa maa fil-ard, man dhal-ladhee yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih, ya'lamu maa bayna aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bi-shay'im-min 'ilmihi illa bimaa shaa', wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawaati wal-ard, wa laa ya'ooduhu hifzuhumaa wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Adheem.
Meaning in English
I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Shaytan. Allah, there is no god worthy of worship but He, the Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what is 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 does not tire Him. And He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (2:255)
Virtue and source
Ubayy b. Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he had a vessel in which he kept dates. He found that its quantity was decreasing. So he kept guard on it one night and saw a creature that resembled an adolescent boy. Ubayy greeted him and he returned his greeting. Ubayy then asked him, "What are you, a jinn or a human?" He replied, "A jinn." So he said to him, "Show me your hand." So he showed him his hand, and it looked like a dog's paw with dog's fur. He said, "This is how the jinn are created. The jinn know that there is no one amongst them who is stronger than me."
How to read this dhikr
Ayat al-Kursi is part of the evening azkar, the adhkar the Prophet ﷺ taught for the evening. The best time is after Asr, before the sun sets; if you miss that window it can still be read after Maghrib, before you sleep.
It is read once. Say it slowly, understanding the meaning, rather than rushing to the next one.
The same dhikr is also part of the morning azkar.