Ayat al-Kursi — When to Recite It
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
Allahu la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum...
Allah — there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
When to recite it
- After the obligatory prayers.
- Before sleep.
- In the morning and the evening adhkar.
Meaning and practice
Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 of Surah al-Baqarah. It names Allah as the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, and it denies drowsiness, sleep, and any partner in His dominion. It is one verse, recited once in each of these settings, not a phrase you rush through a hundred times.
Sahih al-Bukhari includes the report in which reciting it when lying down is tied to a guardian from Allah until morning. It is also among the remembrances people are taught to say after the prayer. The counter step for Ayat al-Kursi is therefore a single tap after you have finished the verse, so the routine can move on.
If you do not yet have the verse memorised, read it from a mushaf and tap only when the recitation is complete.
Source note: Quran 2:255; Sahih al-Bukhari on reciting it before sleep and after prayer in related reports. Recommended count: 1.
Related dhikr
Frequently asked questions
How many times is Ayat al-Kursi recited?
Once after the prayer, once before sleep, and once among the morning and evening adhkar.
Why does the routine ask for only one count?
Because the sunnah here is to recite the verse, not to repeat a short phrase dozens of times. One tap means you have finished that recitation.