The morning and evening adhkar are short words of remembrance the Prophet ﷺ said at the start and end of every day, and their virtues include protection, forgiveness and peace of heart. This guide answers the questions people actually ask: when exactly the time starts and ends, which adhkar are authentically reported, how many times to say each one, and which hadith collection it comes from.
In this article
- When do the morning and evening adhkar start and end?
- What are the virtues of the morning and evening adhkar?
- Which morning and evening adhkar are authentic?
- 1. Ayat al-Kursi (once)
- 2. Al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas (three times each)
- 3. Sayyid al-Istighfar (once)
- 4. Bismillahilladhi la yadurru (three times)
- 5. Amsayna wa amsal-mulku lillah (once)
- 6. Allahumma bika asbahna (once)
- 7. Allahumma ‘alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadah (once)
- 8. The du’a for well-being (once)
- 9. Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum (once)
- 10. A’udhu bikalimatillahit-tammat (evening)
- 11. SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi (100 times)
- 12. The tahlil (100 times a day, or 10)
- Morning and evening adhkar table: counts and sources
- Are all the morning adhkar shared online authentic?
- How can I stay consistent with my daily adhkar?
- Common fiqh questions about the adhkar
- How do I teach my children the morning and evening adhkar?
- Summary: a ten-minute daily routine
We relied on Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan collections. Where we are certain of the hadith number we give it; otherwise we name the book only, since numbering differs between editions. Quran translations are from Sahih International, and hadith translations are of the meaning.
When do the morning and evening adhkar start and end?
The morning adhkar begin at true dawn (Fajr), and the best time is from after the Fajr prayer until sunrise; many scholars extend it to mid-morning (Duha). The evening adhkar begin after Asr, and the best time is from the Asr prayer until sunset; some extend it into the early night.
The timing comes from the Quran itself, which repeatedly links glorifying Allah to the two ends of the day:
﴿وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ﴾
“…and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.” [Surah Qaf 50:39, Sahih International]
﴿فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ﴾
“So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.” [Surah ar-Rum 30:17, Sahih International]
Based on these verses, Ibn al-Qayyim and many others held that the best time for the morning adhkar is between Fajr and sunrise, and for the evening adhkar between Asr and sunset. Other scholars gave a wider window: the morning until just before Dhuhr, and the evening into the first third of the night or beyond.
| Adhkar | Starts | Best time | Latest (wider view) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | True dawn (Fajr) | After Fajr prayer until sunrise | Mid-morning (Duha) or just before Dhuhr |
| Evening | After Asr (some: from midday) | After Asr prayer until sunset | Early night or its first third |
What if I missed the morning or evening adhkar?
Say them when you remember. Remembrance of Allah is good at any time, and the Prophet ﷺ taught that missed regular devotions can be made up: “Whoever sleeps and misses his portion [of night devotion], or part of it, and recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Dhuhr prayer, it is recorded for him as though he had recited it at night” (Sahih Muslim 747). Just do not make lateness a habit, because saying them in their time carries the fullest blessing.
What about places with very long days or nights?
Muslims in far northern countries can simply anchor the adhkar to their prayer times: the morning set after Fajr and the evening set after Asr, using whatever prayer timetable their local mosque follows.
What are the virtues of the morning and evening adhkar?
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا﴾
“O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance. And exalt Him morning and afternoon.” [Surah al-Ahzab 33:41-42, Sahih International]
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The example of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the example of the living and the dead” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6407). The authentic texts point to these benefits:
- Protection: some adhkar are described as “sufficient for you against everything”, or as keeping harm away until the evening or the morning.
- Forgiveness: such as saying SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi 100 times, and Sayyid al-Istighfar, whose sayer is promised Paradise if he dies that day or night.
- Multiplied reward: the 100 tahlil equal freeing ten slaves and earn 100 good deeds.
- A calm heart: “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured” [Surah ar-Ra’d 13:28, Sahih International].
- Renewed tawhid: most of these words affirm that all dominion, power and help belong to Allah alone.
Which morning and evening adhkar are authentic?
Below are the best-known adhkar reported from the Prophet ﷺ, with the count and source of each. A summary table follows.
1. Ayat al-Kursi (once)
Surah al-Baqarah 2:255, beginning ﴿اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ﴾. A hadith of Ubayy ibn Ka’b states, in meaning, that whoever recites it in the evening is protected from the jinn until morning, and whoever recites it in the morning is protected until evening. Reported by an-Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubra and al-Hakim; graded authentic by al-Albani in Sahih at-Targhib.
2. Al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas (three times each)
“Say: Qul huwa Allahu ahad and the two Mu’awwidhat in the evening and in the morning three times; they will suffice you against everything.” (Abu Dawud 5082; at-Tirmidhi 3575, who graded it hasan sahih)
3. Sayyid al-Istighfar (once)
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“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.”
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says it during the day with firm faith and dies before evening is among the people of Paradise, and likewise whoever says it at night and dies before morning (Sahih al-Bukhari 6306).
4. Bismillahilladhi la yadurru (three times)
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
The Prophet ﷺ said that no servant says it three times every morning and every evening except that nothing will harm him (at-Tirmidhi 3388, graded hasan sahih gharib; Abu Dawud 5088).
5. Amsayna wa amsal-mulku lillah (once)
Ibn Mas’ud reported that in the evening the Prophet ﷺ would say: “We have reached 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 has power over 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.” In the morning he said the same, beginning “We have reached the morning…” (Sahih Muslim 2723).
6. Allahumma bika asbahna (once)
“O Allah, by You we enter the morning and by You we enter the evening, by You we live and by You we die, and to You is the resurrection.” In the evening: “…by You we enter the evening and by You we enter the morning… and to You is the final return.” Reported by at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud.
7. Allahumma ‘alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadah (once)
The Prophet ﷺ taught Abu Bakr to say it morning, evening and at bedtime: “O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Sovereign of everything, I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his call to associate partners.” Reported by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi (hasan sahih).
8. The du’a for well-being (once)
Ibn ‘Umar said the Prophet ﷺ never left these words morning and evening: “O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly life, my family and my wealth. O Allah, cover my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your greatness from being taken unawares from beneath me.” Reported by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah; graded authentic by al-Albani.
9. Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum (once)
The Prophet ﷺ advised his daughter Fatimah to say morning and evening: “O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek help. Set right all my affairs and do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye.” Reported by an-Nasa’i in as-Sunan al-Kubra and al-Hakim; graded hasan by al-Albani.
10. A’udhu bikalimatillahit-tammat (evening)
A man complained of a scorpion sting, and the Prophet ﷺ said: “Had you said in the evening, ‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created,’ it would not have harmed you” (Sahih Muslim 2709). Some adhkar books list it three times based on other narrations; Muslim’s narration mentions no number.
11. SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi (100 times)
“Whoever says in the morning and in the evening SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi one hundred times, no one will come on the Day of Resurrection with anything better, except someone who said the same or more.” (Sahih Muslim 2692)
12. The tahlil (100 times a day, or 10)
“Whoever says La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir one hundred times in a day, it equals freeing ten slaves for him, 100 good deeds are written for him, 100 bad deeds are erased, and it is a protection for him from Satan that day until evening” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3293; Sahih Muslim 2691). Because of the words “until evening”, scholars recommend saying it early in the day. If 100 is hard, say it ten times: whoever does so is like one who freed four souls from the descendants of Isma’il (Sahih Muslim 2693).
Morning and evening adhkar table: counts and sources
| Dhikr | Count | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayat al-Kursi | 1 | Morning and evening | an-Nasa’i (al-Kubra), al-Hakim |
| Al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, an-Nas | 3 | Morning and evening | Abu Dawud 5082, at-Tirmidhi 3575 |
| Sayyid al-Istighfar | 1 | Morning and evening | al-Bukhari 6306 |
| Bismillahilladhi la yadurru… | 3 | Morning and evening | at-Tirmidhi 3388, Abu Dawud 5088 |
| Asbahna / Amsayna wa asbahal-mulku lillah | 1 | Morning and evening | Muslim 2723 |
| Allahumma bika asbahna | 1 | Morning and evening | at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud |
| Allahumma ‘alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadah | 1 | Morning, evening, bedtime | Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi |
| Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afiyah | 1 | Morning and evening | Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah |
| Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum bi rahmatika astaghith | 1 | Morning and evening | an-Nasa’i (al-Kubra), al-Hakim |
| A’udhu bikalimatillahit-tammat | 1 (3 in some narrations) | Evening | Muslim 2709 |
| SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi | 100 | Morning and evening | Muslim 2692 |
| La ilaha illallahu wahdahu… | 100 a day (or 10) | Best early in the day | al-Bukhari 3293, Muslim 2691 |
To read these and more in Arabic with English, see the Hisn al-Muslim collection on Sunnah.com.
Are all the morning adhkar shared online authentic?
Image posts and messages often mix authentic adhkar with ones whose chains scholars disputed, or attach numbers that were never reported. Two common examples:
- “Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa…” seven times: Abu Dawud reports it as a saying of Abu ad-Darda’, and scholars differed over whether its stated reward is authentically from the Prophet ﷺ. The meaning is beautiful, so you may say it as general dhikr without believing in a special reward tied to the number.
- “Allahumma ma asbaha bi min ni’mah…”: reported by Abu Dawud; some hadith scholars graded it weak and others accepted it.
A practical rule: build your daily set on the agreed-upon authentic adhkar above. They are enough for protection and reward. Add as much general dhikr as you like, but never attribute to the Prophet ﷺ what is not established from him.
How can I stay consistent with my daily adhkar?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if small” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464). These steps help:
- Tie them to a prayer. Say the morning set right after Fajr before you get up, and the evening set after Asr. Linking a new habit to a fixed one is the strongest way to keep it.
- Start small. If the full set feels heavy, begin with four: Ayat al-Kursi, the three Quls three times, Sayyid al-Istighfar, and “Bismillahilladhi la yadurru” three times. That takes about five minutes.
- Memorise one a week. Soon you will not need the screen and can say them while walking or commuting.
- Count wisely. Counting on the fingers is best, as the Prophet ﷺ told women to “count on your fingertips, for they will be questioned and made to speak” (Abu Dawud; at-Tirmidhi). Many scholars see no harm in a counter for large numbers like 100.
- Learn the meanings. Read the translation of each dhikr at least once; remembrance with a present heart has a deeper effect.
- Track yourself. Ticking off your adhkar each day and seeing an unbroken streak is a strong motivator. We explain this in our daily worship tracker guide.
The Rafiq Al-Taa app has a morning and evening adhkar section with a counter for each dhikr, the full Hisn al-Muslim, and a “My Deeds” checklist that records your adhkar automatically. It has no ads and needs no account, and your data stays on your phone. Read more in the best Islamic app without ads.
Common fiqh questions about the adhkar
Can I read the adhkar from my phone?
Yes. Reading from a phone or a booklet is fine, and the reward comes from saying the words. Memorising them gradually is better, so you can remember Allah in every situation.
Do I need wudu?
No, wudu is not required for dhikr by agreement of the scholars, though being in a state of purity is better. ‘A’ishah said the Prophet ﷺ used to remember Allah at all times (Sahih Muslim 373).
Can a menstruating woman say the adhkar?
Yes, she may say all adhkar and du’as without dispute. For the Quranic verses within them, such as Ayat al-Kursi and the Quls, the majority of jurists forbid her reciting the Quran as recitation, while many allow reciting such verses with the intention of dhikr and protection; the Maliki school permits recitation generally. She should not abandon her daily set, and can ask a trusted local scholar for details.
Aloud or silently?
The Sunnah is to say them quietly, loud enough to hear yourself: “And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech, in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless” [Surah al-A’raf 7:205, Sahih International]. The tongue must move with the words; merely thinking them is not “saying” them according to most scholars.
How do I teach my children the morning and evening adhkar?
Children learn by example first. Say the adhkar aloud beside them after Fajr or before school, starting with the short ones like the three Quls and “Bismillahilladhi la yadurru”. Explain the meaning simply: we are asking Allah to protect us all day. Praise their effort rather than comparing them with siblings. Our article on daily adhkar for kids covers this step by step.
Summary: a ten-minute daily routine
The morning and evening adhkar are a daily shield that costs no money and little effort: about ten minutes after Fajr and ten after Asr. Start with what is authentic, keep to the reported numbers, anchor them to your prayers, and if you miss them, say them when you remember. The rulings here summarise well-known scholarly positions; for personal cases, please consult trusted scholars in your community.
Frequently asked questions
What are the virtues of the morning and evening adhkar?
They bring protection, forgiveness and reward. The Prophet said reciting the three Quls three times morning and evening suffices against everything, Sayyid al-Istighfar earns Paradise for one who dies that day with certainty, and SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi 100 times is unmatched on Judgement Day except by someone who did the same or more.
When does the time for the morning adhkar end?
The best time is from after the Fajr prayer until sunrise. Many scholars say the time extends to mid-morning or just before Dhuhr, so reading them after sunrise is still valid on their view. If you forget them entirely, say them when you remember, since dhikr is good at any time.
When should I read the evening adhkar?
Most scholars say the evening adhkar begin after the Asr prayer, with the best time between Asr and sunset. Some start the time from midday and others extend it into the early night. The safest and best practice is to read them between Asr and Maghrib, and later if you missed them.
How many times should I read the three Quls in the morning and evening?
Recite Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas three times each in the morning and three times in the evening, based on the hadith of Abdullah ibn Khubayb in Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi, in which the Prophet said they will suffice you against everything.
Can I read the adhkar from my phone?
Yes, reading the adhkar from a phone or booklet is permissible and the reward comes from saying the words with a present heart. Memorising them gradually is better so you can remember Allah anywhere, and many scholars allow a digital counter for large numbers, though counting on the fingers is preferred.
Can a woman on her period read the morning and evening adhkar?
Yes, she may say all adhkar and du'as. For Quranic verses like Ayat al-Kursi, the majority bar recitation as Quran reading, while many permit it with the intention of dhikr and protection, and the Malikis allow it generally. She should keep her daily routine and ask a trusted local scholar for details.
We write about worship, zakat and raising children in plain language, checking rulings against the Quran, the Sunnah and the works of scholars. For personal cases, always ask a scholar where you live.
