took to his bed, he would cup his two palms together, meaning he brought each against the other, then blow into them with a light breath carrying a trace of moisture. He would next recite: “Say: He is Allah, One,” “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak,” and “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind.” With those hands he would wipe over whatever parts of his body he could reach, beginning with his head and the front part of his body, and he would do that three times.
Hence, when a person lies down he should do the same: cup his hands, blow lightly into them, recite in them Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas three times, then wipe over his head, face, chest, abdomen, thighs, legs, and every part of his body he can reach.
As for the second tradition, it is the hadith of al-Barā’ ibn ʿĀzib—already explained earlier.
The third tradition is the hadith of Anas ibn Mālik—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet ﷺ, whenever he retired to his bed, would say: “Praise be to Allah who has fed us, given us drink, sufficed us, and sheltered us; how many there are who have neither one to suffice them nor one to shelter them.” He thus praises Allah Most High for having provided food and drink, for had Allah not made this food and drink accessible to you, you would have eaten nothing and drunk nothing, just as the Exalted says: “Have you considered the seed that you sow? Is it you who make it grow, or are We the Grower? If We willed, We could reduce it to dry chaff, and you would then be left in bewilderment, saying, ‘Indeed we are ruined; rather, we have been deprived.’” And He also says: “Have you considered the water that you drink? Is it you who sent it down from the cloud, or are We the Sender? If We willed, We could make it bitter; so why then are you not grateful?”
So praise Allah who has fed and given you drink: “Praise be to Allah who has fed us, given us drink, sufficed us, and sheltered us.” “Sufficed us” means that He has facilitated our affairs and spared us hardship, while “sheltered us” means that He has provided us with a refuge to which we may retire. How many a person has no one to suffice him, no dwelling, and no protector to shelter him. Therefore, when you come to your bed you should make this supplication.