Ayatul Kursi: Arabic Text, Transliteration, Meaning and Benefits
Ayatul Kursi, "the Verse of the Throne", is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Quran. It is one of the most widely memorized verses in the world. Many Muslims recite it every day after their prayers and before sleeping, and many children learn it soon after their first short surahs.
This guide gives you the verse in Arabic, a transliteration, an English meaning and an explanation of what it says, followed by its benefits as reported in authentic hadith.
Ayatul Kursi in Arabic
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ 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 مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Transliteration
Allāhu lā ilāha illā huwal-ḥayyul-qayyūm. Lā taʾkhudhuhū sinatun wa lā nawm. Lahū mā fis-samāwāti wa mā fil-arḍ. Man dhal-ladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahū illā bi-idhnih. Yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum. Wa lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shayʾin min ʿilmihī illā bimā shāʾ. Wasiʿa kursiyyuhus-samāwāti wal-arḍ. Wa lā yaʾūduhū ḥifẓuhumā. Wa huwal-ʿaliyyul-ʿaẓīm.
Transliteration helps you follow along, but it cannot capture every Arabic sound. For correct recitation, learn the verse from the Arabic with a teacher or by listening carefully to a trusted reciter.
English meaning
Allah: there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all that exists. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who could intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they grasp nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.
What the verse teaches, line by line
"There is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer"
The verse opens with tawheed, the oneness of Allah, and two of His names: Al-Ḥayy (the Ever-Living), whose life has no beginning or end, and Al-Qayyūm (the Sustainer), on whom everything depends while He depends on nothing.
"Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him"
Everything created gets tired and needs rest. Allah does not. His care of creation never pauses, not even for a moment.
"Who could intercede with Him except by His permission?"
No one has authority alongside Allah. Even intercession on the Day of Judgement only happens when He allows it.
"He knows what is before them and what is behind them"
Allah's knowledge covers the past, the present and the future completely, while human knowledge is only what He chooses to give.
"His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth"
The Kursi is a vast creation of Allah, and the verse takes its name from it. Its size gives a glimpse of His greatness, and the verse reminds us that holding the whole universe in place is no burden for Him at all.
Benefits of Ayatul Kursi from authentic hadith
- The greatest verse in the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ asked Ubayy ibn Ka'b which verse of the Quran was the greatest. When he answered with Ayatul Kursi, the Prophet ﷺ congratulated him on his knowledge (Sahih Muslim).
- Protection at night. In a well-known narration, Abu Hurairah was told that whoever recites Ayatul Kursi when going to bed will have a guardian from Allah with them, and no devil will come near them until morning. The Prophet ﷺ confirmed this was true (Sahih al-Bukhari).
- After every obligatory prayer. It is reported that whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after each obligatory prayer, nothing stands between them and entering Paradise except death (reported by An-Nasa'i and graded authentic by a number of scholars).
When to recite it
- After each of the five daily prayers.
- Before going to sleep.
- As part of the morning and evening remembrances (adhkar).
- Any time you want to remember Allah's greatness and seek His protection.
How to memorize Ayatul Kursi
- Listen first. Play a clear recitation several times while following the Arabic text.
- Split it into its natural phrases. The verse has nine short sections, separated above. Learn one or two a day.
- Join as you go. Each day, recite everything learned so far from the beginning before adding the next phrase.
- Learn the meaning alongside. Knowing what each phrase says makes it far easier to remember the order.
- Use it straight away. Recite what you know after prayers and before bed. Daily use is the best revision.
Most children can memorize the whole verse in one to two weeks this way, and many adults are quicker.
Learn it with correct Tajweed
Ayatul Kursi includes long vowels, heavy letters and several rules of noon and meem, so it is easy to pick up small mistakes. A teacher can check every word. Ayatul Kursi is often one of the first passages taught in our Quran Memorization course, and if you are new to Tajweed you may also find our guide to Tajweed rules for beginners helpful.