121 / REMEMBRANCES BEFORE SLEEP

Among the blessed remembrances that the noble Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—consistently observed whenever he retired to bed at night is the practice authentically reported in the two Sahih collections from the Mother of the Believers, Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her: “Every night, when the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—retired to bed, he would bring his palms together, blow lightly into them, and recite: ‘Say: He is Allah, the One,’ ‘Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak,’ and ‘Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of humankind.’ He would then wipe with them as much of his body as he could, beginning with his head, his face, and the front of his body. He would do this three times.”1

This is a mighty means of seeking refuge and a safeguard for a person, protecting him by Allah’s leave from anything unpleasant befalling him in his sleep, from any evil or harm, and from harmful creatures or deadly insects. This is especially important because, while asleep, a person is oblivious to everything that approaches him and everything that happens to him. If, upon retiring to bed, he performs this great remembrance and takes refuge in this secure safeguard, he will—by Allah’s leave—be protected, spared, and shielded, and a guardian from Allah will remain over him until morning. This underscores the importance of a Muslim consistently observing this remembrance every night when he retires to bed, so that he may receive this protection and enjoy such care and guardianship.

The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—observed this remembrance with the utmost consistency and never failed to recite it each night. One indication of the great care that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—gave it is the report found in some versions of the hadith, in which Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her—said: “When he—peace and blessings be upon him—fell ill, he would instruct me to do that for him.”2