Bismillahilladhi La Yadurru: Dua for Protection from Harm

There is one dua for daily protection that, alhamdulillah, I practise most days after Fajr and after Asr: a single sentence, said three times in the morning and three times in the evening. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says it will not be struck by a sudden affliction until the next morning or evening. Here is the dua for protection from harm, Bismillahilladhi la yadurru, with its Arabic, meaning and a short story from one of its narrators.

The hadith

The dua to memorise

The story of Aban

The hadith was passed on by Aban, the son of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. Later in life Aban was struck by a partial paralysis. A man who had heard the hadith from him began to look at him, as if to ask how this could happen.

Aban told him the hadith was true, but that on that day he had not said the dua. In Abu Dawud’s narration he says he had become angry and forgot to say it. In at-Tirmidhi’s narration he says he did not say it that day, so Allah’s decree came to pass.

Reflection: the dua is not a charm. It is a request to Allah, and Allah’s decree is always above it. Aban’s story is a reminder of how easy it is to miss on the one day it matters.

What the words mean

• Bismillah: “In the name of Allah.” We begin the day, or the night, with His name.
• Alladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un: “With whose name nothing can cause harm.” Harm only reaches us if Allah allows it.
• Fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’: “On earth or in the heaven.” It covers every source of harm, seen and unseen.
• Wa Huwas-Sami’ul-‘Alim: “And He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” He hears the dua and knows what we need protection from.

How to practise it

• Three times in the morning, three times in the evening. In Abu Dawud’s wording, the evening dua covers you until the morning and the morning dua until the evening.
• Tie it to a prayer. The hadith does not fix an exact time. A simple habit is to say it after Fajr for the morning, and after Asr or Maghrib for the evening. I say it after Fajr and Asr.
• Count on your fingers so you know you have said it three times.
• Teach it to your children. It is one sentence, and it teaches them to rely on Allah for their safety.
• Add it to your other adhkar, such as Ayatul Kursi after each prayer.

Key lessons

• Say this dua three times every morning and three times every evening.
• With Allah’s name, nothing on earth or in the heaven can harm.
• The dua is a request to Allah, not a charm; His decree is above it.
• Aban’s story shows how easy it is to miss it on the day it matters.
• One sentence is easy to teach to children.

Questions people ask

Tomorrow after Fajr, say it three times. After Asr, three more. Six short sentences a day, and in shaa Allah you are under Allah’s protection.

Save this to Pinterest so you remember it every morning and evening.