Islamic Prayer for Sleep
In Islamic tradition, going to sleep is treated as a small return to God—a time to reflect on the day, seek forgiveness, and recite a dua before closing your eyes, following practices modeled in the hadith. An Islamic prayer for sleep typically includes physical etiquette, such as making wudu (ritual washing) before bed and lying on the right side, alongside specific words of remembrance, including the well-known bedtime dua 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya,' meaning 'In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.' As a Christian site, we're writing this page informationally and respectfully, not as religious authorities on Islamic practice, because we believe it's valuable to understand how people of other faiths pray before sleep. Below you'll find a description of the practice, the well-documented dua itself, and original prayers written in that same spirit of nightly surrender.
The Traditional Bedtime Dua
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya — 'In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.' This well-known dua is traditionally recited upon lying down for sleep, expressing trust that life, sleep, and waking all rest in God's hands.
The Dua for Waking
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur — 'Praise be to Allah who gave us life after having caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection.' Traditionally recited upon waking, this dua treats each morning as a fresh gift worth beginning with gratitude.
A Short Prayer of Trust Before Sleep
In Your name, O God, I lie down and I rise. Watch over me while I sleep, and if I wake again, let it be with a grateful heart. Amen.
A Prayer for a Peaceful Night
Merciful God, before I sleep tonight I bring You this day—its mistakes and its mercies both. Forgive me where I fell short, and settle my heart from whatever worry followed me to bed. Protect me through the night, and if it is Your will, let me wake tomorrow able to begin again with a clear conscience and a thankful heart. Amen.
A Prayer for Comfort at Night
God, my Protector, some nights the mind doesn't quiet easily, even when the body is tired. Calm the thoughts that keep circling. Remind me that You are near even in the dark and the silence. Let sleep come as rest, not as escape, and let me wake with peace instead of dread. Amen.
A Longer Prayer of Surrender Before Sleep
Most Merciful God, as this day ends, I return to You the way I began it—in need of Your mercy and grateful for Your care. You have watched over me since I opened my eyes this morning, through every ordinary and difficult moment, and now I entrust myself to You again as I close them. Forgive me for where I fell short today, in patience, in honesty, in kindness to those around me. I ask that You settle my heart of grudges and worries before I sleep, so that I don't carry today's weight into tomorrow. Watch over my body as I rest, and watch over my family and loved ones wherever they are resting tonight. Protect this home, and protect me from harm, from fear, and from troubled dreams. In Your name I lie down, and in Your name I trust I will rise. If this is the last night of my life, let me meet You in a state of peace; and if I am given tomorrow, let me use it to draw nearer to You and to treat others with more compassion than I did today. Amen.
Scripture to pray
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.— Psalm 4:8
Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.— Psalm 121:4
Frequently asked questions
What is the Islamic prayer before sleep?
The Islamic bedtime practice includes physical steps like performing wudu and lying on the right side, along with reciting specific duas, most notably 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya' ('In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live'). These practices are rooted in the hadith, the recorded traditions of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions.
Do Muslims say a prayer when they wake up too?
Yes, there is a well-documented dua for waking that thanks God for giving life again after the small death of sleep, traditionally recited as one of the first acts of the day. It reflects the Islamic view that each morning is a fresh gift worth beginning with gratitude.
Is it respectful for non-Muslims to learn about this practice?
Yes, learning about how another faith tradition prays can be a respectful and enriching exercise, as long as it's approached informationally rather than claiming expertise that belongs to practitioners themselves. This page describes the Islamic bedtime dua descriptively, from outside the tradition, out of respect for its place in Muslim daily life.