Ayatul Kursi (Quran 2:255)
Ayatul KursiQuran 2:255
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ 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 ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَــُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Stretch the soundNasal sound (ghunnah)Hidden sound (ikhfa)Not pronounced
آية الكرسي
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Ayatul Kursi phrase by phrase
The verse in its ten phrases: the Arabic, how to say it, and what it means.
1
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ
Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa
Allah: there is no god worthy of worship except Him,
2
الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
al-Hayyul-Qayyum
the Ever-Living, who keeps all that exists in being.
3
لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ
La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm
Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him.
4
لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard
Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him.
5
مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ
Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih
Who could intercede with Him, except with His permission?
6
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ
Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum
He knows what is before them and what is behind them,
7
وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ
Wa la yuhituna bi-shay'im min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'
and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.
8
وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard
His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth,
9
وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا
Wa la ya'uduhu hifzuhuma
and guarding them both never tires Him.
10
وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Azim
He is the Most High, the Most Great.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allah: there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, who keeps all that exists in being. Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Who could intercede with Him, except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and guarding them both never tires Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, al-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih. Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay'im min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'. Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya'uduhu hifzuhuma, wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Azim.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُAllahu la ilaha illa Huwa, al-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih. Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay'im min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'. Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya'uduhu hifzuhuma, wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Azim.Allah: there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, who keeps all that exists in being. Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Who could intercede with Him, except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and guarding them both never tires Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Quran 2:255)
Updated 8 November 2026 · How we check our sources
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Ayatul Kursi in Arabic
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Download image (PNG)What is Ayatul Kursi?
Ayatul Kursi (also written Ayat al-Kursi or Ayat ul Kursi, the Throne Verse) is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Quran, and the Prophet ﷺ called it the greatest verse in the Book of Allah (Sahih Muslim 810).
- Surah
- Al-Baqarah (2)
- Verse
- 255
- Para
- 3 (Tilkar Rusul)
- Mushaf page
- 42
- Revealed in
- Madinah
- Names of Allah in it
- Allah, al-Hayy, al-Qayyum, al-'Aliyy, al-'Azim
Ayatul Kursi in Arabic
The full verse as one block, from the Madinah mushaf.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:255 · Recited by Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Ayatul Kursi in English
Allah: there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, who keeps all that exists in being. Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Who could intercede with Him, except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and guarding them both never tires Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Ayatul Kursi transliteration
Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, al-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih. Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay'im min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'. Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya'uduhu hifzuhuma, wa Huwal-'Aliyyul-'Azim.
Another translation: Pickthall (1930)
Allah! There is no deity save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.
Translation by Marmaduke Pickthall (1930), public domain. Compare 8 translationsKeep Ayatul Kursi with you
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Word by wordTap each word to hear it and see its meaning.Practise from memoryHide the words and recite. The tool shows what you missed.12-day memorising planA short plan you can follow in about 10 minutes a day.Memorise gamePut the Arabic words in the right order, at 4 levels.Daily trackerKeep a streak going and see your progress.Teaching childrenA gentle 30-day plan for ages 4 to 14.For kids and familyA printable certificate for when they finish.
Names and attributes of Allah in Ayatul Kursi
Ayatul Kursi names Allah five times:
- AllahThe One God, the name with which the verse opens
- Al-HayyThe Ever-Living, whose life has no beginning and no end
- Al-QayyumThe Self-Subsisting, who keeps everything else in existence
- Al-'AliyyThe Most High, above all His creation
- Al-'AzimThe Most Great, whose greatness has no limit
And it describes Him in seven ways:
- Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him.
- Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him.
- No one can intercede with Him except with His permission.
- He knows what is before people and what is behind them.
- People grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.
- His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth.
- Guarding the heavens and the earth never tires Him.
When to recite Ayatul Kursi
The times taught in the Sunnah, with where each one comes from:
After every obligatory prayer
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever recites it after each obligatory prayer, nothing stands between them and Paradise except death. Recite it once, quietly, after the salam.
al-Nasa'i, al-Sunan al-KubraBefore you sleep
Recite it in bed before sleeping, and a guardian from Allah stays with you and Shaytan cannot come near you until morning.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2311Morning and evening
Many scholars include it in the morning and evening adhkar, so it becomes part of your daily protection.
Part of the daily adhkarWhen you feel afraid or anxious
Ayatul Kursi reminds you that Allah never sleeps and nothing escapes His care. “Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”
Quran 13:28Ayatul Kursi reciters
11 reciters, from the imams of Makkah to the great Egyptian qaris. Play any of them in the player at the top of the page with Change voice, where every word lights up as it is recited, or open a reciter’s page for the MP3.
Mishary Rashid AlafasyKuwaitAbdul Rahman Al-SudaisImam of Masjid al-HaramAbdul Basit Abdus SamadEgyptMahmoud Khalil Al-HusaryEgyptMuhammad Siddiq Al-MinshawiEgyptSaud Al-ShuraimFormer imam of Masjid al-HaramYasser Al-DosariImam of Masjid al-HaramAbu Bakr Al-ShatriSaudi ArabiaHani Ar-RifaiSaudi ArabiaMuhammad Al-TablawiEgyptAl-Husary, teaching paceSlow and clear, for learning
Benefits of Ayatul Kursi and what is authentic
Every narration below names its source and how hadith scholars graded it, so you can share it with confidence.
| Narration | Grade | What scholars said |
|---|---|---|
It is the greatest verse in the Book of Allah.Sahih Muslim 810 | Authentic | The Prophet asked Ubayy ibn Ka'b which verse was the greatest, and praised his knowledge when he answered with Ayatul Kursi. |
Whoever recites it before sleeping has a guardian from Allah, and Shaytan cannot come near him until morning.Sahih al-Bukhari 2311 | Authentic | From the well-known account of Abu Hurayrah guarding the charity, confirmed by the Prophet. |
Whoever recites it after every obligatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering Paradise except death.al-Nasa'i, al-Sunan al-Kubra | Authentic | Graded sahih by Ibn Hibban and al-Albani. |
Allah's Greatest Name is in three surahs: al-Baqarah, Al Imran and Ta-Ha.Ibn Majah 3856 | Hasan | Graded hasan by al-Albani. Scholars explained the name as al-Hayy al-Qayyum, which appears in Ayatul Kursi. |
Whoever recites it with the opening of Surah Ghafir in the morning is protected until evening.al-Tirmidhi 2879 | Weak | al-Tirmidhi himself pointed out a weakness in its chain. It is fine to read Ayatul Kursi in the morning, without attaching this promise to it. |
Sayings to be careful with
A true story: Abu Hurayrah and the thiefHow Ayatul Kursi came to be known as protection through the night (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311).These are shared widely online, but no authentic hadith supports them:
- Recite it 313 times to marry the person you love
- Recite it 1,000 times to open the doors of rizq
- Recite it 7 times before sleep to see someone in a dream
- Recite it 70 times and your debts will be paid
What Ayatul Kursi means
Ayatul Kursi is a description of Allah in one verse. It begins with His oneness, then two of His greatest names, al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyum (who sustains everything). It tells us He never tires or sleeps, that everything belongs to Him, that no one can intercede without His permission, and that His knowledge covers all things while ours covers only what He allows. It ends with His Kursi spreading over the heavens and the earth, and two more names: al-'Aliyy, the Most High, and al-'Azim, the Most Great.
The Kursi is often called the Throne in English, but the Arabic word for Throne is 'Arsh, and the two are different. Ibn Abbas explained the Kursi as the place of the Feet, and a narration graded authentic by al-Albani says the seven heavens beside the Kursi are like a ring thrown in a desert, and the Kursi beside the Throne is like that ring in the desert.
Ayatul Kursi in your language
The Arabic with the meaning and pronunciation in your language.
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Questions about Ayatul Kursi
What is the full text of Ayatul Kursi?
Ayatul Kursi in full is: “Allahu la ilaha illa Huwa, al-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa’u ‘indahu illa bi-idhnih. Ya’lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay’im min ‘ilmihi illa bima sha’. Wasi’a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya’uduhu hifzuhuma, wa Huwal-‘Aliyyul-‘Azim.” The Arabic text is at the top of this page, with a button to copy it.
What is Ayatul Kursi in English?
Allah: there is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, who keeps all that exists in being. Neither drowsiness nor sleep ever overtakes Him. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. Who could intercede with Him, except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and guarding them both never tires Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Why is Ayatul Kursi so powerful?
Because of what it describes and what the Prophet ﷺ said about it. It is a verse entirely about Allah: His oneness, His life, His knowledge and His power. The Prophet ﷺ called it the greatest verse in the Quran (Sahih Muslim 810), and said that whoever recites it before sleeping has a guardian from Allah until morning (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311).
What is Ayatul Kursi?
Ayatul Kursi is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second surah of the Quran. The Prophet called it the greatest verse in the Book of Allah (Sahih Muslim 810). It describes Allah’s oneness, His life, His knowledge and His power.
Which para and surah is Ayatul Kursi in?
It is in Para 3 (Tilkar Rusul), in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 255. In the standard Madinah mushaf it is on page 42.
How many times should I read Ayatul Kursi after salah?
Once after each obligatory prayer. The hadith in al-Nasa’i’s al-Sunan al-Kubra promises Paradise to whoever keeps this up, and it does not mention a higher number.
What should I recite before sleeping?
Ayatul Kursi (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311), the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (Sahih al-Bukhari 5009), and Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, blowing into your hands and wiping over your body (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017).
Can I read Ayatul Kursi during my period?
Scholars differ on reciting the Quran during menstruation. Many allow reciting Ayatul Kursi as dhikr or for protection without touching the mushaf, and the Maliki school allows recitation more widely. Follow the view of a scholar you trust.
Is Ayatul Kursi a surah?
No. It is a single verse (ayah) inside Surah Al-Baqarah, although it is long enough that many people think of it as a short surah.
What does Kursi mean?
Kursi literally means a seat or footstool. It is a different thing from the Throne (‘Arsh). Read more about the Kursi and the Throne.
How long does it take to memorise Ayatul Kursi?
Most people learn it in one to two weeks with about 10 minutes a day: listen, repeat one phrase at a time, then join them up. Our 12-day plan walks you through it.
Is reading it 7, 100 or 313 times special?
No authentic hadith sets a special number for Ayatul Kursi. The rewards that are authentic come from reading it after each obligatory prayer and before sleep, as often as you can keep it up.
Edited by Zakir Mohammed
Hadith are checked against the original collections on sunnah.com, and grades follow the scholars named beside each one. The Arabic text follows the Madinah mushaf.