Evening Azkar: Arabic Text, Transliteration and Benefits
The evening azkar (أذكار المساء) are a spiritual shield that the Prophet ﷺ recited every single evening without exception. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever says in the evening: 'A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi at-tammati min sharri ma khalaq' three times, nothing will harm him that night." (Muslim, 2709). These remembrances protect, purify and root the believer in the presence of Allah before sleep.
Key Points
- Evening azkar are read after Asr prayer or after Maghrib — both opinions are well-supported by scholars.
- They form a spiritual "shield of protection" for the entire night.
- Each dhikr has an authentic source in the Quran or the Sunnah.
- Some azkar require a specific number of repetitions (×3, ×100...).
- Consistency matters more than quantity: a few azkar every evening outweigh many done rarely.
- The evening Sayyid al-Istighfar is considered the master supplication for repentance.
- Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas) grant protection until dawn.
- The Muslim Expert app includes all these azkar with transliteration and a built-in digital tasbih counter.
Evening Azkar: Full Text, Translation and Virtues
1. Ayat al-Kursi — The Verse of the Throne
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ...
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255 — full verse)
Allahu la ilaha illa huwa al-hayyu al-qayyum, la ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm...
Translation: "Allah — there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep..."
Source: Bukhari (2311), Muslim (808)
Virtue: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi in the evening, Allah appoints a guardian over him and no devil will come near him until morning." (Bukhari, 2311). This is one of the most powerful forms of nocturnal protection in Islam.
2. Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas (×3) — The Three Quls
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ... / قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ... / قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ...
Qul huwa Allahu ahad... / Qul a'udhu bi-rabbi al-falaq... / Qul a'udhu bi-rabbi an-nas...
Translation: Surahs Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114) — each recited three times.
Source: Abu Dawud (5082), Tirmidhi (3575), Nasai (5430)
Virtue: Reciting these three surahs three times morning and evening suffices for everything (Tirmidhi, 3575). Aisha (رضي الله عنها) reported that the Prophet ﷺ would blow into his palms while reciting them, then wipe his body.
3. "Amsayna wa amsal mulku lillah" — The Evening Prayer
أَمْسَيْنَا وَأَمْسَى الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ...
Amsayna wa amsal mulku lillah, wal-hamdu lillah, la ilaha illa Allahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir. Rabbi as'aluka khayra ma fi hadhihi al-laylati wa khayra ma ba'daha, wa a'udhu bika min sharri ma fi hadhihi al-laylati wa sharri ma ba'daha, wa a'udhu bika minal-kasali wal-haram. Rabbi a'udhu bika min 'adhabin fin-nar wa 'adhabin fil-qabr.
Translation: "We have reached the evening and at this very time the dominion belongs to Allah. Praise be to Allah. There is no deity but Allah, alone, without any partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. 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. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and the misery of old age. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the torment of the Fire and the punishment of the grave."
Source: Muslim (2723), Abu Dawud (5071)
Virtue: This supplication covers the entire night with a request for good and protection from evil. It is the evening counterpart of "Asbahna wa asbahal mulku lillah" from the morning azkar.
4. "Allahumma inni amsaytu ush-hiduka" (×4) — Evening Testimony
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَمْسَيْتُ أُشْهِدُكَ، وَأُشْهِدُ حَمَلَةَ عَرْشِكَ...
Allahumma inni amsaytu ush-hiduka wa ush-hidu hamalata 'arshika wa mala'ikataka wa jami'a khalqika annaka anta Allahu la ilaha illa anta wahdaka la sharika lak, wa anna Muhammadan 'abduka wa rasuluk.
Translation: "O Allah, I call You to witness at the coming of this evening, and I call the bearers of Your Throne, Your angels and all Your creation to witness, that You are Allah, there is no deity except You alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is Your servant and Your messenger."
Source: Abu Dawud (5069), Ibn Hibban (2360) — recite 4 times.
Virtue: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever says this 4 times, Allah will free a quarter of him from the Fire." (Abu Dawud, 5069). Each repetition frees another quarter.
5. "A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi at-tammati" (×3) — Nightly Protection
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi at-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.
Translation: "I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created."
Source: Muslim (2709), Tirmidhi (3604) — recite 3 times.
Virtue: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever says this three times in the evening, no venomous sting will harm him that night." (Muslim, 2709). This formula is a comprehensive protection against every evil in creation.
6. "Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru" (×3) — Shield Against All Harm
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma'a ismihi shay'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i wa huwa as-sami'u al-'alim.
Translation: "In the name of Allah with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."
Source: Abu Dawud (5088), Tirmidhi (3388), Ibn Majah (3869) — recite 3 times.
Virtue: "Whoever says this three times morning and evening, nothing will harm him." (Tirmidhi, 3388). Uthman ibn Affan (رضي الله عنه) reported that the Prophet ﷺ taught him this formula personally.
7. Evening Sayyid al-Istighfar — The Master Supplication of Repentance
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ...
Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduk, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata't, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana't, abu'u laka bi-ni'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u bi-dhanbi faghfir li fa'innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunuba illa ant.
Translation: "O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no deity except You. You created me and I am Your servant. I am upon Your covenant and Your promise as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I acknowledge my sin. Forgive me, for none forgives sins except You."
Source: Bukhari (6306), Nasai (5522)
Virtue: "Whoever says it in the evening with certainty and dies that night, will enter Paradise." (Bukhari, 6306). The Prophet ﷺ himself called this "the master supplication for seeking forgiveness."
8. "Subhana Allahi wa bihamdihi" (×100) — Erasing Sins
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Subhana Allahi wa bihamdihi.
Translation: "Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him."
Source: Muslim (2691), Bukhari (6405) — recite 100 times.
Virtue: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever says 'Subhana Allahi wa bihamdihi' one hundred times morning and evening, no one will come on the Day of Resurrection with more than him, except someone who said the same or more." (Muslim, 2691). The Muslim Expert app includes a digital tasbih to easily count these 100 repetitions.
9. "Allahumma bika amsayna" — Entrusting Your Night to Allah
اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ أَمْسَيْنَا، وَبِكَ أَصْبَحْنَا، وَبِكَ نَحْيَا، وَبِكَ نَمُوتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
Allahumma bika amsayna wa bika asbahna wa bika nahya wa bika namut wa ilayka al-masir.
Translation: "O Allah, by You we enter the evening and by You we enter the morning; by You we live and by You we die, and to You is the final return."
Source: Abu Dawud (5068), Tirmidhi (3391), Ibn Majah (3868)
Virtue: This supplication expresses the believer's total reliance upon Allah. It acknowledges that every breath, every night and every morning is a gift from Allah. It settles the heart into a state of deep serenity before sleep.
10. The Last Two Verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285-286)
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ...
(full verses 2:285-286)
Amana ar-rasulu bima unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wal-mu'minun...
Translation: "The messenger believes in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers..." (complete verses 2:285-286)
Source: Bukhari (4008), Muslim (808)
Virtue: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him." (Bukhari, 4008). Scholars explain that "suffice him" means: they will protect him from the evils of that night.
When to Recite the Evening Azkar?
Scholars hold two opinions regarding when the evening azkar should begin:
- Opinion 1: After Asr prayer, because "massa'" in Arabic refers to the late afternoon. This is the view held by Ibn Baz (رحمه الله) and Ibn 'Uthaymin (رحمه الله).
- Opinion 2: After Maghrib prayer, since that marks the actual entry into the evening. This view is supported by other contemporary scholars.
Both positions rest on sound arguments. You may follow the view of the scholar you refer to. What matters most is not neglecting these azkar.
FAQ — Evening Azkar
How long does it take to recite all evening azkar?
Reciting the complete set of evening azkar takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes for someone who knows them well. To begin, you can choose 3 or 4 azkar and gradually increase. Daily consistency is more valuable than occasional completeness.
Can the evening azkar be recited in English?
The azkar are supplications transmitted in Arabic by the Prophet ﷺ. Scholars recommend learning them in Arabic to preserve their exact form. You may read the translation to understand the meaning, but ideally the recitation should be done in Arabic — even with imperfect pronunciation at first.
What if I forget to recite the evening azkar?
If you forget to recite them before sleeping, you may say them as soon as you remember. Some scholars allow making them up until midnight. The key is not to abandon the habit: each evening is a new opportunity.
Are evening azkar different from morning azkar?
Most azkar appear in both lists, with adapted wording (morning = "asbahna", evening = "amsayna"). Some azkar are specific to the morning, others to the evening. The structure and spirit of both sets are complementary — they form a complete daily cycle of protection and gratitude.
May these evening azkar be a light in your night and a protection for you and your loved ones. Bârakallahu fikum.