The 255th verse from the second surah of Quran is known as Ayatul Kursi (verse of the throne). It is a very powerful ayah with a lot of merits. Ayatul Kursi describes many attributes of Allah (SWT) – no deity is worthy of worship other than Allah (SWT) the Ever-living, The Sustainer of (All) Existence, the rightful owner of the Heaven and the Earth, He is never overtaken by drowsiness nor sleep, Owner of the Thorne. This verse describes more than 15 qualities of Allah.
Ayatul Kursi – Arabic text
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ 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
Ayatul Kursi – 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’in min ‘ilmihee, illa be maashaaaa
wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaa waati wal arda wa la ya’ooduho hifzuhumaa
wa huwal aliyyul ‘azeem
Ayatul Kursi – English Translation:
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 Ayatul Kursi
Benefit 1 – Protection from Satan until Morning – Story of when Abu Huraira (RA) caught Satan
It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A) that once some wealth came in which was to be distributed for charity among people. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) put Abu Hurairah (R.A.) in charge of that wealth. While he (R.A.) was guarding at night, he saw that a man came, stole some from the wealth and tried to sneak away. He (R.A.) caught that man and said that I’m going to present you in front of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because you are stealing. The man pleaded and said that he is very poor and has many obligations that he couldn’t fulfil so pleaded to let him go and promised to never do this again. Abu Hurairah (R.A.) was a very kind hearted man, when he listened to him begging, he (R.A) let him go.
Next morning when he (R.A.) met Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Prophet (PBUH) asked him, “O Aba Hurairah! What happened to your prisoner last night?” He (R.A) got surprised at this question and told Him about the whole story of the previous night. The Prophet (PBUH) told him that the man will come again tonight.
The companion (R.A) got intrigued and alert as well. Night fell, & as the Prophet (PBUH) said, the man came again, Abu Hurairah (R.A.) caught him again, the man pleaded and once again, the companion (R.A.) felt sympathy for him and let him go. Next morning the Prophet (PBUH) asked again, “O Aba Hurairah! What happened to you prisoner last night?” Abu Hurairah narrated the story to him and he (PBUH) tells him the man will come again tonight.
The companion was determined that whatever happens he’ll never let that man go again. Night falls, the man comes, Abu Hurairah (R.A.) catches him and says “I’m going to present you in front of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) since you are stealing.” When the man saw that the companion (R.A.) will not let him go this time he said, “Why don’t I tell you something worthwhile and then will you let me go?” Abu Hurairah (RA.) was very keen about knowledge so he got intrigued and agreed to let him go in exchange of some worthwhile knowledge. The man told him that if you read Ayatul Kursi at night before going to bed, Allah appoints a protector over you and no devil can harm you. The companion (R.A.) let the man go.
Next morning he (R.A.) told the Prophet (PBUH) about the entire encounter and the Prophet (PBUH) described that the man was none other than Satan himself and lies about everything but this one time what he said was true.
Benefit 2 – Pass to Jannah
Narrated Abu Umamah (RA):
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at the end of every obligatory prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering Paradise.” [An-Nasa’i reported it, and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih (authentic).
Benefit 3 – Earn the pleasure of Allah
Narrated Abdullah bin Mas’ud: “Allah has not created in the heavens nor in the earth what is more magnificent than Ayat Al-Kursi.” Sufyan said: “Because Ayatul Kursi is the Speech of Allah, and Allah’s speech is greater than Allah’s creation of the heavens and the earth.” (Jam e Tirimzi, 2884)
Recommended Times for Recitation
The recommended times for reciting Ayatul Kursi are as follows:
- Once after every Fardh (obligatory) prayers
- In bed before going to sleep along with other Dua
- 3 times each after Fajr & Maghrib for protection along with other Adhkar (Read More)
- As part of Ruqya for individuals affected by Ain (Evil Eye), Sihr (Blackmagic) or Jinn
- To protect a home against Ain (Evil Eye), Sihr (Blackmagic) or Jinn – but it is better to recite entire Surah Al Baqarah to protect one’s home
