Dua for protection from bad dreams: the dua taught for fear in sleep

Everyone has nightmares. The Prophet ﷺ told us that a bad dream is from Shaytan and will not harm the one who follows the Sunnah (Sahih al-Bukhari 6985). Islam does not promise that you will never have a bad dream again, but it teaches you how to go to sleep protected and how to calm fear at night.

The dua taught for fear in sleep

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

Transliteration: A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi at-tammati min ghadabihi wa 'iqabihi wa sharri 'ibadihi wa min hamazati ash-shayatini wa an yahdurun.

Meaning: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and His punishment, from the evil of His servants, from the whispers of the devils and from their coming to me.

The Prophet ﷺ taught this dua to a man who was frightened in his sleep and said: "If you say it, they will not harm you" (Sunan Abi Dawud 3893; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3528, hasan). You can recite it when you lie down and again if you wake up afraid.

Before you sleep

• Sleep in a state of wudu, on your right side (Sahih al-Bukhari 247).
• Recite Ayat al-Kursi. A guardian stays with the one who recites it until morning, and Shaytan cannot come near (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311).
• Recite al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, blow into your palms and wipe over your body, three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
• Recite the last two verses of al-Baqarah; they suffice whoever recites them at night (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009).

The Arabic, transliteration and meaning of these are in Duas before sleeping.

If you still have a bad dream

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

Transliteration: A'udhu billahi mina ash-shaytani ar-rajim.

1. Seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan and from the evil of the dream (Sahih Muslim 2261).
2. Lightly spit to your left three times, a dry spit like blowing (Sahih Muslim 2261).
3. Turn over from the side you were sleeping on (Sahih Muslim 2262).
4. Do not tell anyone about it; then it will not harm you (Sahih al-Bukhari 6985).
5. If you like, get up and pray (Sahih Muslim 2263).

For more, see What to do after a bad dream.

Good to know

• Claims such as "whoever recites this 41 times will never have a nightmare" have no basis in the Quran or authentic hadith.
• A bad dream is not a bad omen or a sign of bad news; it does not harm the one who follows the Sunnah.
• If nightmares keep returning and affect your daily life, also look at your sleep routine, stress and heavy late meals, and see a doctor if needed. Spiritual and medical care do not exclude each other.

And Allah knows best.