Which 3 Surahs to Recite at Night? A Sunnah Bedtime Guide
Short answer: the three surahs the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) recited every night before sleeping are Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas. He also regularly recited Surah As-Sajdah and Surah Al-Mulk at night, along with Ayat al-Kursi and the last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah. Surah Muzammil belongs to the night in a different way: it is the surah that calls us to tahajjud.
1. The three Quls: Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas
'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that every night when the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) went to bed, he would cup his hands together, blow into them and recite Qul huwa Allahu ahad, Qul a'udhu bi rabbil-falaq and Qul a'udhu bi rabbin-nas. Then he would wipe his hands over as much of his body as he could, starting with his head and face and the front of his body. He did this three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
This is the clearest answer to the question "which 3 surahs to recite at night". All three are short, easy for children to learn, and they combine tawheed (Al-Ikhlas) with seeking protection from every kind of harm (Al-Falaq and An-Nas).
2. Surah Al-Mulk and Surah As-Sajdah
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) would not sleep until he had recited Alif Lam Mim Tanzil (Surah As-Sajdah) and Tabarak alladhi biyadihil-mulk (Surah Al-Mulk) (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2892).
About Surah Al-Mulk, the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) said that a surah of thirty ayat interceded for a man until he was forgiven, and that it is Tabarak alladhi biyadihil-mulk (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2891, graded hasan). Many families in Pakistan already have the habit of reading Al-Mulk after Isha, and this hadith is the reason.
Interestingly, Surah Al-Mulk opens Para 29, the same para that contains Surah Muzammil, so the two are often read from the same pages of the mushaf.
3. Ayat al-Kursi
In a well-known narration, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi (Quran 2:255) when going to bed will have a guardian from Allah with him through the night, and no devil will come near him until morning. The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) confirmed that this was true (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311).
4. The last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah
The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) said that whoever recites the last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will be sufficient for him (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009). Scholars explained "sufficient" as protection from harm, or as standing in for night prayer for someone who cannot pray. These two ayat (2:285 and 2:286) end with a beautiful dua for forgiveness and ease.
5. Surah Al-Kafirun
The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم) advised a companion to recite Qul ya ayyuhal-kafirun before sleeping, because it is a declaration of freedom from shirk (Sunan Abi Dawud 5055; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3403). It is a good surah to end the day on, renewing your tawheed.
Where Surah Muzammil fits in your night
Surah Muzammil is not among the surahs reported as a nightly bedtime recitation, so it would be wrong to say it is a Sunnah to read it before sleeping. Its place is different and, in a way, even higher: it is the Quran's direct call to the night prayer itself. "Stand in prayer at night, except a little" (73:2), and "rising at night is stronger in effect and more suitable for words" (73:6).
So a balanced night routine might look like this: read Al-Mulk after Isha, recite Ayat al-Kursi and the three Quls when you lie down, and when you wake for tahajjud, recite Surah Muzammil in your rakats if you know it. We explain the timing in more detail in our article on the best time to recite it.
A simple bedtime checklist
| When | What to recite | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| After Isha | Surah Al-Mulk, Surah As-Sajdah | Tirmidhi 2892 |
| In bed | Ayat al-Kursi | Bukhari 2311 |
| In bed | Last two ayat of Al-Baqarah | Bukhari 5009 |
| In bed, three times | Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas, then wipe over the body | Bukhari 5017 |
| Last thing | Al-Kafirun | Abu Dawud 5055 |
| Tahajjud | Surah Muzammil or whatever you know | Quran 73:1 to 6, 20 |
Tips for building the habit
- Start with the three Quls only. Once that is steady, add Ayat al-Kursi, then Al-Mulk.
- Teach children the three Quls at bedtime. It takes under two minutes and becomes a lifelong habit.
- Keep the Quran on your phone ready to open, especially during load-shedding nights.
- Do not worry about doing everything every night. A small routine kept consistently is better than a long one abandoned.
When you are ready to add the night prayer, this page has the full text with audio so you can learn it ayah by ayah.