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Ayatul Kursi

Ayatul Kursi (آية الكرسي) — literally "The Verse of the Throne" — is verse 255 of Surah al-Baqarah. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described it as the greatest verse in the Qur'an (Sahih Muslim).

It affirms in a single verse the absolute Oneness of Allah, His eternal life, His self-subsistence, the vastness of His knowledge, the infinity of His dominion, and the utter dependence of every creature upon Him.

255

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ‌ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ‌ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ‌ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ‌ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ‌ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ‌ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ‌ۖ وَلَا يَــُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا‌ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥

Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission? He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills ˹to reveal˺. His Seat encompasses the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not tire Him. For He is the Most High, the Greatest

Virtues

  • Greatest verse: the Prophet ﷺ said to Ubayy ibn Ka'b, "By Allah, do you know which verse of Allah's Book is the greatest?" Ubayy said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet ﷺ then said: "Ayatul Kursi." (Muslim 810)
  • Guaranteed Paradise: "Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except death." (Nasa'i, authenticated by al-Albani)
  • Protection at night: the Prophet ﷺ said whoever recites it before sleeping, Allah will appoint a guardian who stays with him and no devil will approach him until morning (Bukhari 2311).

When to recite

  • After every obligatory (fard) prayer.
  • Before sleeping.
  • Morning and evening remembrance (adhkar).
  • When entering the home or feeling fear.

Frequently asked

What is Ayatul Kursi?

Ayatul Kursi is verse 255 of Surah al-Baqarah (the 2nd chapter of the Qur'an). It is the single greatest verse of the Qur'an according to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

What are the benefits of reciting Ayatul Kursi?

Reciting it after every fard prayer is a means of entering Paradise, and reciting it before sleeping brings Allah's protection through the night.

Is Ayatul Kursi one verse or several?

It is one long verse — Qur'an 2:255 — followed by two related verses (2:256 and 2:257) that continue the same theme of light and darkness.

Can I recite Ayatul Kursi in English?

Ritual recitation in prayer must be in Arabic, but reading the English meaning outside of prayer is highly encouraged to understand and reflect on the verse.