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Ayat al-Kursi for protection at night

bukhari:2311ʿUthmān b. al-Haytham Abū ʿAmr > ʿAwf > Muḥammad b. Sīrīn > Abū Hurayrah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ put me in charge of guarding the zakah of Ramadan. Then someone came to me and began scooping up the food, so I seized him and said, "By Allah, I will surely take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He said, "I am needy, I have dependents, and I am in severe need." So I let him go. In the morning, the Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do last night?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he complained of severe need and dependents, so I had mercy on him and let him go." He said, "Indeed, he lied to you, and he will return." So I knew that he would return because of the statement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "He will return."

So I lay in wait for him, and he came and began scooping up the food. I seized him and said, "I will surely take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He said, "Leave me, for I am needy and I have dependents; I will not return." So I had mercy on him and let him go. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "O Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he complained of severe need and dependents, so I had mercy on him and let him go." He said, "Indeed, he lied to you, and he will return."

So I lay in wait for him a third time, and he came and began scooping up the food. I seized him and said, "I will surely take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and this is the last of three times that you claim you will not return, then you return." He said, "Leave me, and I will teach you words by which Allah will benefit you." I said, "What is it?" He said, "When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi: "Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer," until you finish the verse, for there will continue to be a guardian over you from Allah, and no devil will come near you until morning." So I let him go.

In the morning, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "What did your captive do last night?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he claimed that he would teach me words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." He said, "What are they?" I said, "He said to me, 'When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi from its beginning until you finish: "Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer," and he said to me, 'There will continue to be a guardian over you from Allah, and no devil will come near you until morning.'" And they were most eager for good. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "Indeed, he told you the truth, though he is a liar. Do you know whom you have been speaking to for three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?" I said, "No." He said, "That was Satan."

البخاري:٢٣١١وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ أَبُو عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

وَكَّلَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِحِفْظِ زَكَاةِ رَمَضَانَ، فَأَتَانِي آتٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَأَخَذْتُهُ، وَقُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ. قَالَ إِنِّي مُحْتَاجٌ، وَعَلَىَّ عِيَالٌ، وَلِي حَاجَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ. قَالَ فَخَلَّيْتُ عَنْهُ. فَأَصْبَحْتُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟» قَالَ قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، شَكَا حَاجَةً شَدِيدَةً وَعِيَالاً، فَرَحِمْتُهُ، فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ. قَالَ «أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَذَبَكَ، وَسَيَعُودُ». فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيَعُودُ، لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّهُ سَيَعُودُ».

فَرَصَدْتُهُ، فَجَاءَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَأَخَذْتُهُ، فَقُلْتُ: لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ. قَالَ دَعْنِي، فَإِنِّي مُحْتَاجٌ، وَعَلَىَّ عِيَالٌ، لاَ أَعُودُ. فَرَحِمْتُهُ، فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ. فَأَصْبَحْتُ، فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ؟» قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، شَكَا حَاجَةً شَدِيدَةً وَعِيَالاً، فَرَحِمْتُهُ، فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ. قَالَ «أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَذَبَكَ، وَسَيَعُودُ».

فَرَصَدْتُهُ الثَّالِثَةَ، فَجَاءَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَأَخَذْتُهُ، فَقُلْتُ: لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَهَذَا آخِرُ ثَلاَثِ مَرَّاتٍ، أَنَّكَ تَزْعُمُ لاَ تَعُودُ، ثُمَّ تَعُودُ. قَالَ دَعْنِي أُعَلِّمْكَ كَلِمَاتٍ يَنْفَعُكَ اللَّهُ بِهَا. قُلْتُ: مَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ، فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ: ﴿اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ﴾، حَتَّى تَخْتِمَ الآيَةَ، فَإِنَّكَ لَنْ يَزَالَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَافِظٌ، وَلاَ يَقْرَبَنَّكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ. فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ.

فَأَصْبَحْتُ، فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟» قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يُعَلِّمُنِي كَلِمَاتٍ يَنْفَعُنِي اللَّهُ بِهَا، فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ. قَالَ «مَا هِيَ؟» قُلْتُ: قَالَ لِي إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ، فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ مِنْ أَوَّلِهَا حَتَّى تَخْتِمَ: ﴿اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ﴾، وَقَالَ لِي لَنْ يَزَالَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَافِظٌ، وَلاَ يَقْرَبَكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ. وَكَانُوا أَحْرَصَ شَىْءٍ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَكَ وَهُوَ كَذُوبٌ، تَعْلَمُ مَنْ تُخَاطِبُ مُنْذُ ثَلاَثِ لَيَالٍ، يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ؟» قَالَ لاَ. قَالَ «ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ».

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Collected by Nasāʾī's Kubrá
nasai-kubra:10729Ibrāhīm b. Yaʿqūb > ʿUthmān b. al-Haytham > ʿAwf > Muḥammad > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ deputed me to keep Sadaqat (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Messenger of Allah ﷺ had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go. In the morning Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Apostle said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Messenger of Allah ﷺ as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"-- 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Apostle asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end ---- Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-lHaiy-ul-Qaiyum----.' He further said to me, '(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.' (Abu Huraira or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Huraira?" Abu Huraira said, "No." He said, "It was Satan." (Using translation from Bukhārī 2311)

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠٧٢٩أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

وَكَّلَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِحِفْظِ زَكَاةِ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَانِي آتٍ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنِّي مُحْتَاجٌ وَعَلَيَّ عِيَالٌ وَبِي حَاجَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ فَخَلَّيْتُ عَنْهُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟» قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ شَكَى حَاجَةً شَدِيدَةً وَعِيَالًا فَرَحِمْتُهُ فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ فَقَالَ «أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَذَبَكَ وَسَيَعُودُ» فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيَعُودُ لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّهُ سَيَعُودُ فَرَصَدْتُهُ فَجَاءَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَقُلْتُ لَأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ دَعْنِي فَإِنِّي مُحْتَاجٌ وَعَلَيَّ عِيَالٌ وَلَا أَعُودُ فَرَحِمْتُهُ فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟» قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ شَكَا حَاجَةً وَعِيَالًا فَرَحِمْتُهُ فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ كَذَبَكَ وَسَيَعُودُ فَرَصَدْتُهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَجَاءَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ هَذَا آخِرُ ثَلَاثِ مَرَّاتٍ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ لَا تَعُودُ ثُمَّ تَعُودُ قَالَ دَعْنِي أُعَلِّمْكَ كَلِمَاتٍ يَنْفَعُكَ اللهُ بِهَا قُلْتُ مَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ {اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ} [البقرة 255] حَتَّى تَخْتِمَ الْآيَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يَزَالَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اللهِ حَافِظٌ وَلَا يَقْرَبُكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ فَأَصْبَحْتُ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ «مَا فَعَلَ أَسِيرُكَ الْبَارِحَةَ؟» قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يُعَلِّمُنِي كَلِمَاتٍ يَنْفَعُنِي اللهُ بِهَا فَخَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَهُ قَالَ «مَا هِيَ؟» قَالَ لِي إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ مِنْ أَوَّلِهَا حَتَّى تَخْتِمَهَا {اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ} [البقرة 255] وَقَالَ لَنْ يَزَالَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اللهِ حَافِظٌ وَلَا يَقْرَبُكَ الشَّيْطَانُ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ وَكَانُوا أَحْرَصَ شَيْءٍ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «أَمَا إِنَّهُ كَذُوبٌ وَقَدْ صَدَقَكَ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ تُخَاطِبُ مُنْذُ ثَلَاثٍ يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ؟» فَقُلْتُ لَا قَالَ «ذَلِكَ الشَّيْطَانُ»