Allahu la ilaha illa huwal hayyul qayyum
“Allah has not created in the heavens nor in the earth what is more magnificent than Ayat Al-Kursi.” Sufyan said: “Because Ayat Al-Kursi is the Speech of Allah, and Allah’s Speech is greater than Allah’s creation of the heavens and the earth.”
So what is Ayatul Kursi?
It is a single ayat from the Quran, from Surah Baqarah verse 255.
Let’s take the time to learn the full Ayat Al-Kursi dua and understand its meaning.
Ayat Al-Kursi in Arabic Text
The Arabic text of Ayatul Kursi is as follows:
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Transliteration:
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa huwal haiyul qai-yoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zallazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa be iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aideehim wa maa khalfahum; wa laa yuheetoona beshai ‘immin ‘ilmihee illa be maa shaaaa; wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaa waati wal arda wa la ya’ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa huwal aliyyul ‘azeem
For proper pronunciation, you can listen to an audio version.
Translation of Allahu laa ilaha illa Huwa
The meaning of this ayat is: “Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. 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 Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
Benefits of Reciting Ayat Al-Kursi
It is said that those who recite this ayat will be protected from Shaitan (the devil). Reciting and understanding the meaning of this ayat is a form of praising Allah SWT.
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA), he once caught the devil. To secure his release, the devil promised to teach Abu Hurairah something that would protect him and his descendants. He advised Abu Hurairah to recite Ayat Al-Kursi. Skeptical of taking advice from the devil, Abu Hurairah went to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to verify its truth. The Prophet confirmed that the devil had spoken the truth on this occasion.
Many scholars regard Surah Baqarah verse 255 (Ayat Al-Kursi) as one of the most exalted ayats in the entire Quran. This is truly a gift from Allah SWT, and it would be unwise not to recite it daily.
A Muslim would be wise to learn its meaning, recite it, and repeat it. A video recitation of this ayat is only about one minute long, and it can even be recited more quickly. The benefits are immense: by reciting these words, we seek protection from the devil, while also making dua and exalting Allah SWT.
Many find it difficult to rely solely on memory and willpower to recite Ayat Al-Kursi daily. As humans, we tend to forget. That is why it is best to link the recitation to a daily activity—such as before going to bed, upon waking up, or at the end of salat. This way, recitation becomes an automatic habit.
Simply be mindful of the words and their meaning as you recite them. It is my hope that this text has helped you in that regard.
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then someone came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said, “I will take you to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)!” Abu Hurairah then continued the narration, saying: That person said to me, “Please don’t take me to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), and I will tell you a few words that will benefit you from Allah. When you go to your bed, recite Ayat Al-Kursi (2:255), and a guard from Allah will protect you all night long; Satan will not be able to come near you until dawn.” When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard this story, he said to me, “He who came to you at night told you the truth, even though he is a liar—it was Satan.”
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