﴿اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْـــــــــــدَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ﴾.
al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Hisn al-Muslim 28 · Hisn al-Muslim
Source & authenticity
Source: Hisn al-Muslim · Reference: Hisn al-Muslim 28
Translation: Saheeh International via quran.com API v4, edition 20
This supplication also appears, with small differences in the Arabic wording, under Words of remembrance for morning and evening.
IslamicInfo presents the source information available in its current verified database and does not issue religious rulings.
Context & meaning
Three times the passage narrows a statement with an exception. There is no deity except Him; no one intercedes except by His permission; and none encompasses anything of His knowledge except what He wills. Each exception works the same way — a sweeping negative is stated first, and then the single case standing outside it is named, and in all three that case is Himself. Set between them, His ownership of the heavens and the earth is stated with no exception attached at all.
When & how to recite
The chapter this belongs to places these words before sleeping.
Reflection
The passage also puts a question rather than only making assertions — who is it that can intercede with Him — and then answers it inside the same sentence, leaving no room for the question to remain open.
About these notesThe notes above explain the wording of the supplication as it is translated on this page. They add no commentary, history or ruling beyond it.
Common questions
What does this supplication actually say?
In English it reads: “Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills.
Can I read it without Arabic script?
The romanisation used on this page is: “al-lahu lā ilāha illā huwa l-ḥayu l-qayūmu lā takhudhuhu sinatun walā nawmun lahu mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi man dhā alladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahu illā bi-idh'nihi yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yuḥīṭūna bishayin min ʿil'mihi illā bimā shāa wasiʿa kur'siyyuhu l-samāwāti wal-arḍa walā yaūduhu ḥif'ẓuhumā wahuwa l-ʿaliyu l-ʿaẓīmu”
What is the source for this?
Referenced as Hisn al-Muslim 28:100.
When should you say it?
The chapter this belongs to places these words before sleeping. The passage also puts a question rather than only making assertions — who is it that can intercede with Him — and then answers it inside the same sentence, leaving no room for the question to remain open.