Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Qul huwallahu ahad. Allahus-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakul-lahu kufuwan ahad.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy. Say: He is Allah, One. Allah, the One on whom all depend. He neither begets nor was born. No one is comparable to Him.
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Qul a‘udhu bi-Rabbil-falaq. Min sharri ma khalaq. Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab. Wa min sharrin-naffathati fil-‘uqad. Wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what He created, from the evil of darkness when it falls, from the evil of those who blow on knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Qul a‘udhu bi-Rabbin-nas. Malikin-nas. Ilahin-nas. Min sharril-waswasil-khannas. Alladhi yuwaswisu fi sudurin-nas. Minal-jinnati wan-nas.
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of humankind, the King of humankind, the God of humankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers into people's hearts, from among jinn and humankind.
The short bedtime prayer
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324 records wording before sleep and different words after waking. The bedtime phrase expresses dependence on Allah in life and death. Keep its word order tied to this reference when comparing other variants.
The waking text belongs to the other end of the sleep routine. It should not be added to the bedtime quotation as though the narrator gave one uninterrupted prayer.
The three short surahs
Sahih al-Bukhari 5017 describes Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas in the Prophet’s bedtime practice, with cupped hands, blowing and wiping the body. It reports repeating that practice three times.
That account supports the specific bedtime sequence. It does not create a general licence to assign three repetitions to every Quran passage or to claim that missing a step causes a nightmare.
Learning without overwhelming yourself
Begin with a short portion you can read accurately and understand. Practise the surahs with a competent Quran teacher; transliteration cannot capture every sound or teach recitation rules completely.
Build learning gradually rather than treating all cards as a test you must finish before sleep. Use ordinary healthy sleep habits alongside remembrance, and seek appropriate help if sleep problems persist.
Common questions
Are the surahs all supplications? They are Quranic chapters; Al-Ikhlas affirms Allah’s oneness, while the other two seek refuge. Are bad dreams proof I recited incorrectly? That conclusion is not established here. Can I use an audio recording to learn? Check accurate recitation and usage rights. Where should I look after a nightmare? The bad-dreams page explains the separate narrated response.