Many Muslims wonder about the true benefits of reading ayatul kursi after salah. This powerful verse, known for its deep spiritual impact, carries countless blessings for those who recite it regularly. Discover how this daily practice can strengthen your connection with Allah and provide you with endless protection.
What is the meaning of ayatul kursi
Ayatul Kursi is considered the greatest verse in the Book of Allah because it talks about Allah Himself and His attributes, as He says
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥
Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission? He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills ˹to reveal˺. His Seat encompasses the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not tire Him. For He is the Most High, the Greatest.
Al-Baqrah (2:255)
the meaning of ayatul kursi includes the following:
- “Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him” “ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ”
This affirms that Allah alone is worthy of worship, with no partner or equal.
- “the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining” “ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ”
This means that Allah is always alive and never dies. He sustains and maintains everything; without Him, nothing could exist.
- “Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.” “لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭۚ”
Allah is never affected by even the slightest sleep or tiredness. He is fully aware of everything and nothing escapes His knowledge or vision.
- “To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.”
“لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ ”
Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. All creation is under His control and ownership.
- “Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission?”
“ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ ”
No one can intercede with Allah on the Day of Judgment—not even the Prophet ﷺ—except with His permission. This highlights His supreme authority and majesty.
- “ He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them,”
“ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ ”
Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything—past, present, and future.
- “but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills ˹to reveal˺.”
“وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ ”
No one can gain any knowledge of Allah or His attributes unless He will.
And it could also mean that they have no knowledge of His attributes or His essence except for what He wills—just as Allah says in the verse:
“He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but they cannot encompass Him in ˹their˺ knowledge.”
“يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلْمًۭا”
- “His Seat1 encompasses the heavens and the earth,”
“وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ ”
There are different interpretations of “Kursi”:
- Some scholars said it is separate from the Throne and is a great creation above the seventh heaven.
- Ibn Abbas said it is the place of His feet.
- Others said it is another name for the Throne.
Ibn Kathir clarified that the Kursi is different from the Throne, and the Throne is greater.
- “and the preservation of both does not tire Him.”
“وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ ”
It is not difficult or tiring for Allah to preserve the heavens, the earth, and all that is within them. He is the protector of all things and capable of everything.
- “For He is the Most High, the Greatest”
“وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ”
This means Allah is above all His creation in every way. His greatness is absolute and unmatched.
Ayatul Kursi Benefits Hadith
There are many authentic hadiths highlighting the virtue of Ayatul Kursi, such as:
-
The Greatest Verse in the Book of Allah
عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَتَدْرِي أَىُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ ” يَا أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ أَتَدْرِي أَىُّ آيَةٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ مَعَكَ أَعْظَمُ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّومُ . قَالَ فَضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي وَقَالَ ” وَاللَّهِ لِيَهْنِكَ الْعِلْمُ أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ”.
Ubayy b. Ka’b said: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: O Abu’ al-Mundhir, do you know the verse from the Book of Allah which, according to you, is the greatest? I said: Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) know best. He again said: Abu’l-Mundhir, do you know the verse from the Book of Allah which, according to you, is the greatest? I said: Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal. Thereupon he touched me on my chest and said: May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu’l-Mundhir!”
- It contains Allah’s Greatest Name
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي زِيَادٍ ، عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ ، عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ يَزِيدَ ، قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” اسْمُ اللَّهِ الْأَعْظَمُ فِي هَاتَيْنِ الْآيَتَيْنِ: # اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ سورة البقرة آية 255 #، # وَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ سورة البقرة آية 163 # ”
Narrated by Abu ‘Asim, from ‘Ubaydullah ibn Abi Ziyad, from Shahr ibn Hawshab, from Asma’ bint Yazid (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah’s Greatest Name is found in these two verses: ‘Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining’ (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 255), and ‘Your God is ˹only˺ One God.’ (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 163).”
It is mentioned in other hadith as well:
“عن أبي أمامة أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “اسْمُ اللهِ الأعْظَمُ الذي إذا دُعِيَ بهِ أجابَ ؛ في ثلاثِ سُوَرٍ من القُرآنِ: في ( البَقرةِ ) و( آلِ عِمْرانَ )، و( طه ).”
“Abu Umāmah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah’s Most Magnificent name, which when used to implore Him, He responds, is found in three suwar:
Al-Baqarah, Āl-Imran, and Tāha (meaning Al-Hayy al-Qayyoom).”
Ayatul Kursi Benefits Hadith are not limited to the virtues mentioned above; rather, it has many more blessings, as explained in the following two sections.
What are the benefits of reading ayatul kursi after salah
One of the major benefits of reading ayatul kursi after salah is that nothing prevents the person from entering Paradise except death. As stated in the hadith
وَعَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - “مَنْ قَرَأَ آيَةَ اَلْكُرْسِيِّ دُبُرَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ دُخُولِ اَلْجَنَّةِ إِلَّا اَلْمَوْتُ.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever reads Āyatul Kursī at the end of (after) each mandatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering paradise except death.”
Benefits of Reading Ayatul Kursi Before Sleep
One of the powerful Benefits of Reading Ayatul Kursi Before Sleep is that Allah protects you, and no devil can come near you until morning, as mentioned in the Noble.
وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ الْهَيْثَمِ حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ وَكَّلَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِحِفْظِ زَكَاةِ رَمَضَانَ فَأَتَانِي آتٍ فَجَعَلَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَصَّ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ لَنْ يَزَالَ مَعَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَافِظٌ وَلاَ يَقْرَبُكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ صَدَقَكَ وَهْوَ كَذُوبٌ ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ ”.
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said,
“I will take you to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)!” Then Abu Huraira described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), “(Please don’t take me to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you.) When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255)
for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” (When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard the story) he said (to me), “He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was Satan.”
Can You Read Ayatul Kursi Without Wudu?
Yes, it is allowed to recite Ayatul Kursi without wudu if it’s recited from memory, as long as the Qur’an is not physically touched.
The Prophet ﷺ say:
حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَزْمٍ، . أَنَّ فِي الْكِتَابِ الَّذِي، كَتَبَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِعَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ ” أَنْ لاَ يَمَسَّ الْقُرْآنَ إِلاَّ طَاهِرٌ.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazm that in a letter that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent to Amr ibn Hazm it said that no-one should touch the Qur’an unless he was pure.
However, someone in a state of major impurity (janabah) is not allowed to recite any part of the Qur’an—even from memory—until they perform ghusl (full-body purification).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the benefits of reading ayatul kursi after salah after salah are truly immense—ranging from divine protection and spiritual peace to the promise of Paradise. This single verse, when recited with understanding and sincerity, can transform your spiritual routine and draw you closer to Allah’s mercy and power.
If you’re eager to deepen your connection with the Qur’an, we warmly invite you to join Rahiq Academy. Our specialized courses in Tafseer and Tajweed are designed to help you not only recite beautifully but also understand the profound meanings behind every verse. Start your journey today with Rahiq Academy and let the words of Allah illuminate your life.
