Morning athkar: complete list, Arabic, meaning
Most people who want to build a habit of morning athkar start the same way: they save a screenshot, bookmark a page, or half-remember a verse someone mentioned after Fajr. Then a few days later the details are gone, and the whole thing quietly stops. The problem is rarely a lack of desire — it's that nobody hands you the complete, correctly sourced list in one sitting so you can actually finish it, not just intend to.
That's what this is. Every dua below is drawn from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, or Jami' at-Tirmidhi — the same sources compiled in Hisn al-Muslim (Fortress of the Muslim) — with the Arabic, how to say it, and exactly what it means.
When to say them
The preferred window for Adhkar al-Sabah is after Fajr prayer until sunrise, since several of the duas below explicitly use the word "morning." If that window slips past you, most scholars hold that reciting them any time before midday still counts — later is better than not at all, and a rushed version beats a skipped one.
The complete list
1. On waking
Before anything else — before checking your phone — this is reported to be the first thing the Prophet ﷺ said on opening his eyes.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Al-hamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.
All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after having taken it in sleep, and to Him is the return.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6312, narrated by Hudhayfah.
2. Ayat al-Kursi (Qur'an 2:255)
One verse, recited once. It's included in the standard morning and evening collection for a specific protection: reciting it after Fajr guards you from harm until evening, and reciting it after Asr guards you until morning.
اللَّهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ 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
Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-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 bishay'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 but Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who can intercede with Him without His permission? He knows what is before and behind His creation, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Source: Qur'an 2:255; on its protective virtue, Sahih Ibn Hibban 784 (also recorded in Al-Mustadrak of Al-Hakim, no. 2064), narrated by Ubay ibn Ka'b, graded sahih li-ghairihi by Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut.
3. The Three Quls — three times each
Al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, and an-Nas, recited three times each. The Prophet ﷺ told a companion this "will suffice you against everything."
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Qul huwallahu ahad, Allahus-samad, lam yalid wa lam yulad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.
Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient Master. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ
Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbil-falaq, min sharri ma khalaq, wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab, wa min sharrin-naffathati fil-'uqad, wa min sharri hasidin idha hasad.
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what He created, from the evil of darkness when it settles, from the evil of those who blow on knots (practicing magic), and from the evil of an envier when he envies.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ
Qul a'udhu bi-Rabbin-nas, Malikin-nas, Ilahin-nas, min sharril-waswasil-khannas, alladhi yuwaswisu fi sudurin-nas, minal-jinnati wan-nas.
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer who whispers in the breasts of mankind, from among the jinn and mankind.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 5082 and Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3575 (graded hasan sahih gharib), narrated by Abdullah ibn Khubayb.
4. "We have entered a new morning"
أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا فِي هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ وَخَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِي هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ فِي النَّارِ وَعَذَابٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ
Asbahna wa asbahal-mulku lillah, walhamdu lillah, la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir. Rabbi as'aluka khayra ma fi hadhal-yawmi wa khayra ma ba'dahu, wa a'udhu bika min sharri ma fi hadhal-yawmi wa sharri ma ba'dahu. Rabbi a'udhu bika minal-kasali wa su'il-kibar. Rabbi a'udhu bika min 'adhabin fin-nari wa 'adhabin fil-qabr.
We have entered a new morning, and with it all dominion belongs to Allah. Praise is to Allah. There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this day and of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this day and of what follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and feeble old age, and from punishment in the Fire and punishment in the grave.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2723, narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.
5. Sayyid al-Istighfar — the master supplication for forgiveness
The Prophet ﷺ called this "the best way of seeking forgiveness," and said whoever recites it with certainty and dies before evening enters Paradise.
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bini'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u laka bidhanbi, faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta.
O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no god but You. You created me, and I am Your servant, and I hold to Your covenant and promise as best as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin. So forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6306, narrated by Shaddad ibn Aws.
6. The declaration of tawhid, one hundred times
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.
There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, His is the praise, and He is able to do all things.
Said one hundred times in a day, the Prophet ﷺ said it carries the reward of freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds recorded, a hundred sins erased, and protection from Satan until evening. If a hundred feels like a lot to start with, saying it as many times as you're realistically able still carries reward — the point is consistency, not the count.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3293, narrated by Abu Hurayrah.
7. "Glory be to Allah, and praise is His," one hundred times
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Subhanallahi wa bihamdih.
Glory be to Allah, and praise is His.
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says this one hundred times in a day will have their sins forgiven, even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6405 and Sahih Muslim 2691, narrated by Abu Hurayrah.
A practical note
If mornings tend to dissolve into your phone before you've said a single word of dhikr, that's usually less a willpower problem than a timing one. It's part of why we built Pray the way we did: it uses your prayer times, calculated on your device, to quietly hold back distracting apps through this window — so opening Instagram before Ayat al-Kursi never has to be a choice you're making at all.
Building it up
You don't need to arrive at all seven from day one. Start with the waking dua, Ayat al-Kursi, and the Three Quls — three minutes, easily memorized — and add the rest as they stick. A shorter list said every morning will always outlast a complete one said for a week and then abandoned.