Ayatul Kursi is an ayat (verse) of the Holy Quran from Surah Al-Baqara (2:255). Ayatul Kursi is a very powerful prayer to get protected from all evil things. This verse is encouraged to be recited multiple times throughout the day. The believer must make this holy verse a daily ritual.

Ayatul Kursi

اَللهُ لَآ اِلـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ – لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ – لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ – مَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ – يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ – وَلَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ – وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْأَرْضَ – وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا – وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيْمُ 

Ayatul Kursi English

Allaahu Laa Ilaaha Illaa Hual Haiyul Qayuum, Laa Ta-khuzuhuu Sinatun Wa Laa Nawwm, Lahuu Maa Fis Samawaati Wa Maa Fil Ard, Man Zallazii Yashfa’u ‘Indahuu Illaa Bi-iznih, Ya’lamu Maa Baina Aidiihim Wa Maa Khalfahum, Wa Laa Yuhiituuna Bishai-im Min ‘Ilmihii Illaa Bimaa Shaa, Wasi’a Kursiyyuhus Samawaati Wal Ard, Wa Laa Ya-uuduhuu Hifzuhumaa, Wa Hual ‘Aliyyul ‘Aziim.

Ayatul Kursi Meaning

Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Ayatul Kursi after five daily prayers

Abu Umama Ra. narrated, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

مَنْ قَرَأَ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلَةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ دُخُولِ الْجَنّةِ إِلّا أَنْ يَمُوتَ

A person who recites Ayatul Kursi after every obligatory prayer will have no obstacle to Paradise except death. (Amalul Yawmi wal Lailah, Nasa’i, Hadith 100)

From this Hadith, the instruction to recite Ayatul Kursi after five daily prayers was found.

Ayatul Kursi at bedtime

In this context, a surprising incident is described in Sahih Bukhari. Abu Huraira Ra. said: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) entrusted me with the responsibility of looking after Zakat (dates of Sadaqatul Fitr) in Ramadan. (At night) a stranger came and took a handful of the (stacked) food (dates). I caught hold of him and said, I will present you to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He said: “Look, I am a needy, poor, and burdened family man!” I let him go.

In the morning, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Abu Hurairah! How’s your prisoner from last night? I said: O Messenger of Allah! I felt pity for him as he spoke of his poverty and the burdens of his family. So I left him! The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Look, he has lied to you; He will come again.

As a result, I came to know that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said he would come, he would definitely come. I was ready and waiting for him. And, he came and started to take fistfuls from the piled-up food items. I caught him and said: I will present you to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He then started saying: Leave me alone, I am a poor man, burdened with family, and will not come again. Again, I am pleased with his words. I left In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: What about your prisoner? I said: O Messenger of Allah! He was talking about his great need and the burden on his family, so I was kind enough to let him go. He said: Look, he lied to you. He will come again.

I waited for his words on the third night. At one stage he came and started taking food by the fistful. I grabbed him and said: I will not let you go until I present you to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). It happened three times that you said you would not come, but you came again. He then said: Leave me, I will teach you something by which Allah will benefit you. I said, what is that?

He said, When you go to bed, read Ayatul Kursi till the end. Then there will be a protector appointed for you from Allah until the morning, and Satan will not come near you until the morning.

I let him go. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to me: What did your prisoner do last night? I said: O Messenger of Allah! He said that he would teach me something by which Allah would benefit me. So I left him.

He asked, what are those words? I answered: he said: when you go to bed, recite Ayatul Kursi from beginning to end, a protector will be appointed for you from Allah until the morning, and no devil will approach you (until the morning). The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

أَمَا إِنّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَكَ وَهُوَ كَذُوبٌ

Listen, he’s telling you the truth, even if he’s a liar.

Then he said: Abu Hurairah! Do you know who you talked to three nights in a row? He said: no. The Messenger of Allah said: He was Satan (Evil).

See: Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2311

Ayatul Kursi in the morning and evening

Ubai Ibn Ka’b Ra. narrated that he had a place to dry dates. It would reduce dates. One night he was guarding, and suddenly he saw a creature like a teenager. He greeted Ubai. He answered the greeting and asked, what nation are you? Jin or human? He said: Jin. Ubai said: give me your hand. He showed his hand, and it turned out that his hands and fur were like the hands and fur of a dog. He said: this is the structure of Jin. He also said: Jinns know that there is no man stronger than me among them. Ubai said: what purpose did you come? He said: I have come to know that you like to do sadaqa. So I have come to take from your foodstuff (dates). Ubai said: what is the way to get protection from you (evil)? He said: this verse of Surah Baqarah:

اَللهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ اَلْحَیُّ الْقَیُّوْمُ

Whoever recites it in the evening, will be safe from us (evil) until the morning. And whoever recites it in the morning, will be safe from us (evil) until the evening.

In the morning, Ubai came to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) and told the matter. The Prophet said: Evil has spoken the truth.

See: Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 784; Mustadrake Hakem, Hadith 2064

In the above two incidents, it has been proved through the supporting words of the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam) how beneficial the action of this verse is in being saved from Satan.

So far, a total of three hadiths related to the virtues of Ayatul Kursi have been mentioned. From these hadiths, we are instructed to recite this verse eight times a day: morning and evening, after five daily prayers, and at bedtime. It goes without saying that if one recites this blessed verse with understanding, and remembering the meaning, it will be a matter of great blessing for him.