Dua When You Cannot Sleep

Explanation
This is the dua recited when a person’s eyes will not close and they simply cannot fall asleep. Our Prophet ﷺ recommended this dua to his companions.
Dua Text
اَللّٰهُمَّ غَارَتِ النُّجُومُ وَهَدَأَتِ الْعُيُونُ، وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ قَيُّومٌ لَا تَأْخُذُكَ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ، يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ أَهْدِئْ لَيْلِي وَأَنِمْ عَيْنِي
Transliteration
Allahumma gharatin-nujumu wa hada’atil-‘uyunu, wa anta Hayyun Qayyumun la ta’khudhuka sinatun wa la nawmun, ya Hayyu ya Qayyumu ahdi’ layli wa anim ‘ayni.
Meaning
O Allah, the stars have set and the eyes have closed. But You are the Ever-Living, the Ever-Abiding who sustains all. Neither drowsiness nor sleep can overtake You. O Ever-Living Allah, O Self-Sustaining Allah, give my night rest and let my eyes close.
What Is Asked in This Dua
One asks for a calm night and for sleep to come; to this end one implores Allah by His names al-Hayy and al-Qayyum, recalling that neither sleep nor drowsiness overtakes Him.
When and How to Recite
It is recited on sleepless nights, when sleep will not come in bed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which dua is recited when you cannot sleep?
The dua “Allahumma gharatin-nujumu wa hada’atil-‘uyun…” is recited; our Prophet ﷺ recommended it to his companions.
What does it mean?
O Allah, the stars have set and the eyes have closed; You are the Ever-Living and Self-Sustaining, and sleep does not overtake You. Give my night rest and let my eyes close.
When is it recited?
It is recited when sleep simply will not come in bed.
Source
Büyük Dua Kitabı (Great Book of Duas), Duas Related to Sleep and Dreams.
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: 27 September 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026
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