Dua to Avoid Bad Dreams

August 25, 2026

Explanation

This is a dua recited when going to bed so as not to have bad and frightening dreams.

Dua Text

أُعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ

Transliteration

U’idhukuma bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min kulli shaytanin wa hammatin wa min kulli ‘aynin lammah.

Meaning

I place you under the protection of Allah’s perfect words from every devil, every harmful creature and every evil eye.

What Is Asked in This Dua

This short dua is a sentence of placing someone under protection. The servant places the person they recite it for under the protection of Allah’s perfect words. “Allah’s perfect words” are His words that have no deficiency and whose judgement is certain; seeking refuge in them means relying on Allah’s promise of protection. The fact that the source reference points to Bukhari shows that this formula of seeking protection comes from a hadith.

There are three things from which protection is sought: every devil, every harmful creature and the evil eye. All the visible and invisible dangers that may disturb a person in their sleep at night are gathered under these three headings. Since a bad dream is seen as the whispering of the devil or as inner unrest, one enters Allah’s protection with this sentence of refuge before going to sleep. The dua can be recited for oneself, and it is also a protective dua recited over children and loved ones.

When and How to Recite

According to the source, it is recited when going to bed so as not to have bad and frightening dreams. The source book states that reciting it seven times when going to bed will be a means of seeing good dreams and being protected from bad dreams. Along with this dua, it is also recommended to recite Surah al-Ikhlas three times, and Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas.

Making wudu before going to bed is a fine practice but it is not required for the dua. It is fitting to recite it calmly after lying down in bed, while reflecting on its meaning. Those who find the Arabic difficult can also seek refuge in Allah’s perfect words with its English meaning.

Virtue

It is stated that reciting it seven times when going to bed will be a means of seeing good dreams and being protected from bad dreams. Along with this dua, it is also recommended to recite Surah al-Ikhlas three times, and Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times is the dua to avoid bad dreams recited?

The source recommends reciting it seven times when going to bed. It is also advised to recite it together with Surah al-Ikhlas three times, and al-Falaq and an-Nas.

When is the dua to avoid bad dreams recited?

It is recited when lying down in bed, right before going to sleep. It is recommended to recite it with the intention of being protected from bad and frightening dreams.

What is the source of the dua to avoid bad dreams?

The source reference cites Bukhari, Anbiya 10; it also appears in Majmu’at al-Ahzab. It is a formula placing someone under Allah’s protection from devils, harmful creatures and the evil eye.

Source

Bukhari, Anbiya 10. Majmu'at al-Ahzab, vol. 1, p. 588.

The text on this page was prepared by Dua Kitaplığı based on the work cited above. The Arabic text has been transcribed from the original with its vowel marks, and the transliteration in Latin letters and the English meaning are given separately. No virtue or number that does not appear in the source is added to this page. How do we prepare our content?

Published: 25 August 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026