The fortress

Sayyid al-Istighfar, the master prayer for forgiveness

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bi-ni'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u laka bi-dhanbi, faghfir li, fa-innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.

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.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that whoever says it in the day with certainty and dies before evening is of the people of Paradise, and likewise at night.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 (sahih)

In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing harmsthree times

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

Bismillahil-ladhi 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 harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Said three times in the morning and three in the evening; the hadith promises that nothing will harm the one who says it.

Sunan Abi Dawud 5088 (Al-Albani: Sahih)

Pardon and well-being

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ 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, cover my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from before me and behind me, from my right and my left and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your greatness from being taken unawares from beneath me.

Sunan Abi Dawud 5074 (Al-Albani: Sahih)

The three surahs: al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, an-Nasthree times

قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۝ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ۝ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ۝ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ ۞ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ ۝ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ۝ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ۝ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ۝ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ۞ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ۝ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۝ إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۝ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ۝ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۝ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

Qul huwallahu ahad, Allahus-samad, lam yalid wa lam yulad, wa lam yakul-lahu kufuwan ahad. Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbil-falaq... Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbin-nas...

Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him. (Surah 112; the two surahs of refuge follow: 113 and 114.)

Three times morning and evening "will suffice you against everything" (Abu Dawud 5082); at bed, blown into the cupped palms and wiped over the head, the face and the body, three times (Bukhari 5017).

Sunan Abi Dawud 5082 (Al-Albani: Hasan) · Sahih al-Bukhari 5017 (sahih)

Ayat al-Kursi, the Throne verse (2:255)

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum, la ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm...

Allah! There is no deity save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.

Recited at night, "a guardian from Allah will remain with you and no devil will come near you until morning" (Bukhari 2311, where the Prophet confirmed the words of the one who taught them).

Quran 2:255, Al-Baqarah · Sahih al-Bukhari 2311 (sahih)

The declaration of oneness, a hundred timesa hundred times

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.

There is no god but Allah alone, without partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.

A hundred times in a day: the reward of freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds recorded, a hundred sins erased, and a refuge from Shaytan until evening (Bukhari 6403). On the fingers or on beads; the scholars differ about beads and both permit the fingers.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6403 (sahih)

A tongue kept moist with remembrance

لاَ يَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطْبًا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

La yazalu lisanuka ratban min dhikrillah.

Let your tongue remain moist with the remembrance of Allah.

The Prophet's answer to a man who said the practices of Islam had become too many for him.

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3375 (Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih) · Quran 2:152, Al-Baqarah · Quran 13:28, Ar-Ra'd

The last two verses of al-Baqarah (2:285 and 2:286)

ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ۝ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

Amanar-rasulu bima unzila ilayhi mir-Rabbihi wal-mu'minun...

The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers - We make no distinction between any of His messengers - and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying. Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.

"Whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him" (Bukhari 5009).

Quran 2:285, Al-Baqarah · Quran 2:286, Al-Baqarah · Sahih al-Bukhari 5009 (sahih)

The last words before sleep

اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لاَ مَلْجَأَ وَلاَ مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلاَّ إِلَيْكَ، اللَّهُمَّ آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ

Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilayka, wa fawwadtu amri ilayka, wa alja'tu zahri ilayka, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka, la malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilayka. Allahumma amantu bi-kitabikal-ladhi anzalta, wa bi-nabiyyikal-ladhi arsalta.

O Allah, I surrender myself to You, I entrust my affair to You, and I lean my back on You, in hope and in fear of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except to You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You sent down and in Your Prophet whom You sent.

Make ablution as for the prayer, lie on the right side, and let these be the last words you say.

The Prophet told al-Bara ibn Azib: if you die that night, you die on the natural faith, so make them your last words.

Sahih al-Bukhari 247 (sahih)

In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

Bismika Rabbi wada'tu janbi, wa bika arfa'uhu, in amsakta nafsi farhamha, wa in arsaltaha fahfazha bima tahfazu bihi 'ibadakas-salihin.

In Your name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I raise it. If You hold my soul, have mercy on it; and if You send it back, guard it with that by which You guard Your righteous servants.

Shake out the bedding first, as the Prophet taught, then lie down on the right side.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6320 (sahih)

In Your name I die and I live

بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا

Bismika amutu wa ahya.

In Your name I die and I live.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6312 (sahih) · Sahih al-Bukhari 6324 (sahih)

The du'a of light

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا، وَفَوْقِي نُورًا، وَتَحْتِي نُورًا، وَأَمَامِي نُورًا، وَخَلْفِي نُورًا، وَعَظِّمْ لِي نُورًا

Allahummaj'al fi qalbi nuran, wa fi basari nuran, wa fi sam'i nuran, wa 'an yamini nuran, wa 'an yasari nuran, wa fawqi nuran, wa tahti nuran, wa amami nuran, wa khalfi nuran, wa 'azzim li nuran.

O Allah, place light in my heart, and light in my sight, and light in my hearing, and light on my right, and light on my left, and light above me, and light below me, and light before me, and light behind me, and make light great for me.

The Prophet's own night du'a, heard by Ibn Abbas as a boy in his aunt Maymunah's house.

Sahih Muslim 763 (sahih)

On waking

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.

Praise be to Allah, who gave us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the rising.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6312 (sahih)