Morning and Evening Adhkar

The Morning and Evening Adhkar (أذكار الصباح والمساء) are daily remembrances that provide protection, blessings, and spiritual strength throughout the day.

What are the Morning and Evening Adhkar?

The Morning and Evening Adhkar (أَذْكَارُ الصَّبَاحِ وَالْمَسَاءِ) are a collection of authentic supplications and Qur'anic verses the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited at the start and end of each day. They are sometimes called the "fortress of the Muslim" because the Prophet ﷺ described them as a daily protection that no harm — neither from human, jinn nor calamity — can penetrate when recited with presence of heart. Their time windows are tied to the natural rhythm of the day: the morning adhkar are read between Fajr and sunrise (with leeway until Dhuhr if missed), and the evening adhkar are read between Asr and Maghrib (with leeway until late night). Together they take ten to fifteen unhurried minutes and are one of the most rewarding short routines in a believer's day.

Core Adhkar to Recite Each Morning and Evening

1. Ayatul Kursi — once

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ...

Translation: The Throne Verse of Surah al-Baqarah 2:255 — affirming Allah's life, sustenance and absolute knowledge.

Source: Reported in al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim, who said: "Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi when he wakes in the morning will be in Allah's protection until the evening, and whoever recites it in the evening will be in His protection until the morning." See our dedicated Ayatul Kursi page for the complete verse with translation.

2. The Three Quls — three times each

Surah al-Ikhlas (سُورَةُ الإِخْلَاص), Surah al-Falaq (سُورَةُ الفَلَق), and Surah an-Nas (سُورَةُ النَّاس).

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 5082, sahih — the Prophet ﷺ told 'Abdullah ibn Khubayb (RA): "Recite the Mu'awwidhat three times when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning — they will suffice you against everything."

3. Sayyid al-Istighfar — once

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.

Translation: "O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You. You created me and I am Your servant. I keep Your covenant and Your promise to the best of my ability. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favour upon me, and I acknowledge my sin — so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You."

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6306 — Shaddad ibn Aws (RA) reports the Prophet ﷺ as the "master of seeking forgiveness". He added: "Whoever says it during the day with firm faith and dies before the evening will be of the people of Paradise; and whoever says it during the night with firm faith and dies before the morning will be of the people of Paradise."

4. Asbahna wa asbaha al-mulku lillah — once

أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ...

Translation: "We have entered the morning and the dominion belongs to Allah; all praise is for Allah. There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner ..." In the evening one substitutes amsayna ("we have entered the evening").

Source: Sahih Muslim 2723 — narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (RA).

5. SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi — 100 times

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6405, Sahih Muslim 2691 — "Whoever says 'SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi' a hundred times in a day will have his sins forgiven even if they were like the foam of the sea." Track them easily with our online Tasbih Counter.

6. A'udhu bi-kalimat-illah at-tammat — three times in the evening

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

Translation: "I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created."

Source: Sahih Muslim 2708 — "Whoever says it three times in the evening, no scorpion's sting will harm him that night."

When and How to Recite the Adhkar

The optimal time for the morning adhkar is between the Fajr prayer and sunrise, while still seated in the place of prayer if possible — the Prophet ﷺ used to remain in his musalla making dhikr until the sun rose well above the horizon (Sahih Muslim 670). The evening adhkar are best recited after Asr until just after Maghrib. If a person misses these windows, scholars including Ibn al-Qayyim and Shaykh Ibn Baz held that the adhkar can still be made up later in the day; the reward of consistency is preserved even if the optimal timing slips. Read them with presence of mind rather than at speed — the Prophet ﷺ taught that a few words spoken with understanding outweigh many words rushed through the tongue.

Benefits Promised in the Sunnah

Protection from harm: The Mu'awwidhat "suffice" the believer against everything from people, jinn, illness and harm (Abu Dawud 5082).
Forgiveness of sins: Sayyid al-Istighfar and SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi each carry promises of expansive forgiveness.
Daily entry into Allah's care: Ayatul Kursi places the reciter under Allah's safeguard until the next adhkar window.
A guaranteed share in Paradise: Anyone who recites Sayyid al-Istighfar in faith and dies that day enters Paradise (Bukhari 6306).
Spiritual calm: Regular dhikr brings tranquillity to the heart (Qur'an 13:28: "Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest").

Common Questions

Are the morning and evening adhkar fard?

No — they are Sunnah Mu'akkadah (emphasised Sunnah). Leaving them is not sinful, but doing them is one of the highest-reward, lowest-effort routines a Muslim can maintain.

If I miss the morning adhkar, should I still recite them at noon?

Yes. Several scholars (including Shaykh al-Albani) allowed making them up after their preferred window. The reward of the preferred timing is missed, but the dhikr itself is still rewarded.

Can I read them from my phone instead of from memory?

Yes. Reading from a printed page, mushaf, or screen is permissible and was practised by later scholars. Memorising them gradually is recommended so they can be recited without distraction.

Should children be taught the adhkar?

Yes — and starting with the three Quls and Ayatul Kursi is the traditional approach. The Prophet ﷺ used to recite these over al-Hasan and al-Husayn (RA) for protection (Sahih al-Bukhari 3371). Most children memorise the short surahs within months.