More Supplication as We Go to Bed.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) always impressed on his
companions, and his followers in future generations, the
need to end the day with some glorification of God,
supplication to Him and other forms of mentioning His name
and reading His words. The point is that sleep is often
likened to death by the Prophet (peace be upon him). The
similarity is also stated in verse 42 of Surah 39 in the
Qur’an. In both situations, we lose consciousness of
everything around us. God gathers our souls to Him, but he
returns them to us if our life is continuing, while He
holds with Him the souls of those whose death He has
decreed.

Since we approach a case of death when we are about to
sleep, the Prophet was keen to teach us to say
supplications and prayers that would be of benefit to us.
Al-Bara’ ibn Azib, a companion of the Prophet, said: “When
the Prophet went to bed, he would lie on his right side and
say: ‘My Lord, to You I turn my face, and to You I
surrender my soul, and to You I turn for protection, in
hope and fear of You. With You alone safety and refuge from
Your anger is sought. I believe in Your book which You have
bestowed from on high, and I believe in Your Prophet whom
You have entrusted with a message.’ Whoever says this
supplication and dies that night, he is sure to die holding
to the true faith.” (Related by Al-Bukahri, Muslim, Abu
Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi)

To use the Arabic wording we say: “Allahumma wajjahtu wajhi
ilayk, wa aslamtu nafsi ilayk, wa alja’tu zahri ilayk,
rahbatan wa raghbatan ilayk. La manja wa la malja minka
illa ilayk. Amantu bikitaabika alladhi anzalt, wa
binabiyyaka alladhi arsalt.”

This is a highly authentic Hadith, which is reported in
different versions with some change in the order of its
phrases. But the supplication it includes is one of the
most expressive of self-surrender to God in all situations.


Hence the comment that if one dies after having said this
supplication, he is deemed to have died as a believer in
the true faith. Needless to say, nothing ensures
forgiveness of sins and admission to heaven more than sound
and pure faith. To say this supplication before going to
sleep is one way of ensuring that one finishes the day
holding to the right faith.

Indeed the Prophet used to say several prayers and
supplications before going to bed. He may change and say
some of them on certain days and other prayers on other
days. But the central point in them all is the same: total
self-surrender to God in all situations. Let us look at
this supplication which Abu Hurayrah says that the Prophet
used to say as he got into bed: “My Lord, the Lord of the
heavens, the earth and everything, who causes the grain and
the fruit-stone to split, and who revealed the Torah, the
Gospel and the Qur’an! I seek refuge with You from the evil
of everything you hold by the forelock. You are the First
before whom there was none, and You are the Last after whom
there will be none. You are the Outward above whom there is
none, and You are the Inward under whom there is none.
Repay my debts and relieve my poverty.” (Related by
Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, Abu
Dawood, Al-Nassaie and Ibn Majah). To give the Arabic text:
“Allahumma rabba al-samaawaat wal-ard, wa rabba kulli
shay’, faaliq al-habbi wal-nawa, munzil al-Tawrah
wal-Injeel wal-Qur’an! A’oozu bika min kulli dhee sharrin
anta aakhidhun binasiyatih. Anta al-awwal falaysa qablaka
shay, wa anta al-aakhiru falyasa ba’adaka shay, wa anta
al-zaahiru falaysa fawqaka shay, wa anta al-baatinu falaysa
doonaka shay. Iqdi anni al-dayn wa aghnini min al-faqr.”

As this Hadith is related in all six anthologies, it is
highly authentic and very inspiring. Like other
supplication by the Prophet, it starts with statements of
God’s glory, stressing first that God is the Lord of the
universe and all it contains. It then highlights an
important aspect of creation, which is the splitting of
grains, seeds and fruit-stones to bring from them new
shoots and trees. It also mentions divine guidance to
mankind throughout history, represented in the revelation
of the three main books of His guidance, the Torah, the
Gospel and the Qur’an. When all this has been acknowledged,
the supplicant appeals to God the Creator of all and the
provider of guidance for protection from the evil caused by
anyone, re-stating that all are within God’s control. Again
the Prophet stresses some of the most important attributes
of God before requesting Him to help him with his debt and
to relieve him from poverty.

Another Hadith explains why the Prophet was so keen to
stress remembering and glorifying God before going to bed
and first thing in the morning. Jabir reports: “When a man
enters his home or goes to bed an angel and a devil come
straight to him. The angel says to him: ‘Finish with
something good,’ while the devil says: ‘Finish with
something evil.’ If the man praises God and glorifies Him
(the devil) is driven away and the angel stays to watch
over him. When he wakes up an angel and a devil come
quickly to him and say something similar. If he glorifies
God and says: ‘Praise be to God who has returned my soul
after it was gathered and has not caused it to die while
asleep. Praise be to God who upholds the celestial bodies
and the earth, lest they deviate. For if they should ever
deviate, there is none that could uphold them after He will
have ceased to do so.

He is ever-forbearing, much forgiving. Praise be to God who
holds the celestial bodies, so that they may not fall upon
the earth except by His leave. Most compassionate is God,
and merciful to mankind.’ If he should die, he is a martyr,
and if he lives and rises to pray, he prays in an excellent
way.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad and
Al-Nassaie).

Having discussed the other Hadiths and explained why the
Prophet was keen to say such supplication in the morning
and evening, and before going to bed, I think this Hadith
does not need further explanation, except to say that if
the one who says this supplication and dies during the
night receives the reward of one who sacrifices his life
for the cause of Islam. That is a rich reward, because
martyrs are certain to be admitted to heaven.

We also need to mention the Arabic wording of the
supplication which says: “Al-hamd lillah alladhi radda
ilyya nafsi ba’da mawtiha, wa lam yumitha fi manaamiha.
Al-hamd lillah alladhi yumsiku al-samaawaati wal-ard an
tazoola, wa la’in zaalata in amsakahuma min ahadin min
ba’dih. Innahoo kana haleeman ghafoora. Al-hamd lillah
alladhi yumsiku al-samaa’ an taqa’a ala al-ard illa
bi’idhnih. Innahoo kana haleeman ghafoora.”







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