Life is full of challenges and uncertainties, but Islam teaches us that Allah ﷻ has provided us with powerful duas (supplications) to seek His divine protection. One of the most beautiful and comprehensive duas for safety is narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahil-lazi la yadhurru ma’asmihi shai’un fil ardhi wa la fis-sama’i wa Huwas-Sami’ul Aleem
Translation: In the Name of Allah with Whose Name nothing in the earth or in the heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
— (Sunan Abi Dawud)
The Full Narration: Recited Three Times
The fuller version of this hadith adds an important detail beyond the words themselves: it’s reported that whoever recites this dua three times in the morning will not be struck by any sudden calamity until evening, and whoever recites it three times in the evening will not be struck by any sudden calamity until morning. The protection described isn’t tied to the words alone, but to the specific practice of repeating them three times, at both ends of the day — which is part of why this dua sits among the most frequently recommended in daily adhkar collections, rather than being reserved for moments of specific fear or danger.
Why This Dua Carries So Much Weight
Look closely at what the dua actually says: nothing in the earth or in the heaven can cause harm alongside Allah’s Name. That’s a sweeping claim — not “most things,” not “the dangers I’m aware of,” but everything, in both realms. Reciting it is an act of tawakkul (reliance on Allah) in its most concentrated form: a believer naming every possible source of harm, seen and unseen, and placing all of it under Allah’s protection in a single sentence.
Benefits of Reciting This Dua
- Provides protection from all kinds of harm and danger — physical, unseen, and everything in between, since the wording excludes nothing.
- Brings peace of heart by consciously placing your safety in Allah’s hands rather than carrying that weight alone.
- Strengthens faith and remembrance of Allah ﷻ through repetition that keeps His protection at the front of your mind, not just an abstract belief.
Making It Part of Your Daily Adhkar
It’s recommended to recite this dua three times in the morning and three times in the evening, as part of daily adhkar. In practice, that means anchoring it to something you already do at both ends of the day — right after Fajr, and again around Maghrib — rather than trying to remember it at a random moment. By doing so, a believer entrusts themselves to Allah’s protection twice daily, deliberately, instead of only reaching for protection when danger already feels close. If you’re building a habit of consistent daily adhkar and prayer, our Prayer Tracker can help you keep this — and the rest of your daily worship — consistent rather than occasional. For the end of the day specifically, our post on the Sunnah of sleeping on the right side covers a natural bedtime companion to this practice.
