اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ
Allahumma innaka khalaqta nafsi wa Anta tawaffaha, laka mamatuha wa mahyaha, in ahyaytaha fahfadhha wa in amattaha faghfir laha. Allahumma inni as'alukal-'afiyah
O Allah, You created my soul and You will take it. To You belongs its death and its life. If You keep it alive, protect it, and if You cause it to die, forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for well-being.
This du'a acknowledges the most humbling reality of sleep: you do not know if you will wake up. "If You keep it alive, protect it; if You cause it to die, forgive it" — it covers both outcomes with complete trust. You hand over your soul every night, and every morning it is returned to you as a gift.
Related Du'as
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
In Your Name, my Lord, I lay down my side, and by You I will rise. If You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You release it, protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.
Sahihتَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent. (Opening of Surah Al-Mulk — recite the full surah before sleep.)
Hasanاللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect Your servants.
Sahihأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed.
Sahih