The evening adhkar are the strong fortress a servant turns to as night falls, bringing tranquillity and protection from devils, whispers and the dangers of the night.
The preferred time for the evening adhkar begins after Asr and lasts until sunset and beyond Isha. A Muslim should not neglect them, so as to enjoy restful sleep under Allah’s protection.
All the evening adhkar in this section are carefully referenced from al-Bukhari, Muslim and the Sunan, with the exact hadith wording and explanations of difficult words.
We have entered the evening and the dominion belongs to Allah. Praise be to Allah. There is no god but Allah alone, without partner; His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this night and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and the misery of old age. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from punishment in the Fire and punishment in the grave.
Source: Sahih Muslim (2723)A comprehensive evening remembrance of seeking refuge and asking for good.
Sayyid al-Istighfar: O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I hold to Your covenant and promise as much as I can. 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 but You.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (6306)Virtue: “Whoever says it during the day with firm faith and dies that day before evening is among the people of Paradise; and whoever says it at night with firm faith and dies before morning is among the people of Paradise.”The master supplication for forgiveness, said in the evening.
O Allah, grant me well-being in my body; O Allah, grant me well-being in my hearing; O Allah, grant me well-being in my sight. There is no god but You. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty, and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is no god but You.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (5090) graded hasan by al-NawawiAsking for well-being in body and senses, and refuge from evil.
Reciting the three protective surahs: al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas (3 times).
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud (5082) and al-Tirmidhi (3575)Virtue: “Recite “Qul huwa Allahu ahad” and the two protective surahs in the evening and the morning three times; they will suffice you against everything.”
Frequently asked questions about Evening adhkar with references:
When does the time for the evening adhkar end?
The recommended time is from after Asr until sunset; it remains permissible until midnight for whoever missed the better time.
What is the virtue of saying “A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq” in the evening?
An authentic hadith states that whoever says it in the evening will not be harmed by any sting that night. It is a comprehensive refuge from creatures, poisons and all evils.
Should the protective surahs be read once or three times?
The Sunnah is to read them three times in the morning and three times in the evening; the hadith says they “will suffice you against everything”.
