What is Ayatul Kursi? The 255th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah is called Ayatul Kursi (آیة الکرسی). It is the greatest verse in the Quran, also known as ‘The Verse of the Throne’.
Ayatul Kursi offers incredible virtues including blessings, protection, and even the promise of Jannah. Recite it daily after Salah, morning, evening, and before sleep to gain its incredible rewards.
Let’s explore the power of this majestic ayah and why it should be part of your daily worship.
Ayatul Kursi in Arabic with Meaning & Transliteration
Here is the Arabic Ayatul Kursi with English translation and transliteration:
| Arabic | Transliteration | Translation |
| ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ | Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa huwal haiyul qai-yoom; | Allāh – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. |
| لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ | laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; | Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. |
| لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ | lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; | To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. |
| مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ | man zallazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa be iznih; | Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? |
| يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ | ya’lamu maa baina aideehim wa maa khalfahum; | He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, |
| وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ | wa laa yuheetoona beshai ‘immin ‘ilmihee illa be maa shaaaa; | and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. |
| وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ | wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaa waati wal arda | His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, |
| وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ | wa la ya’ooduho hifzuhumaa; | and their preservation tires Him not. |
| وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ | wa huwal aliyyul ‘azeem | And He is the Most High, the Most Great. |
Full Ayatul Kursi
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡحَيُّ ٱلۡقَيُّومُۚ لَا تَأۡخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٞ وَلَا نَوۡمٞۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِهِۦۚ يَعۡلَمُ مَا بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُمۡۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنۡ عِلۡمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَۚ وَسِعَ كُرۡسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفۡظُهُمَاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيُّ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ
Transliteration:
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa huwal haiyul qai-yoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zallazee yashfa’u indahooo illaa be iznih; ya’lamu maa baina aideehim wa maa khalfahum; wa laa yuheetoona beshai ‘immin ‘ilmihee illa be maa shaaaa; wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaa waati wal arda, wa la ya’ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa huwal aliyyul ‘azeem
Meaning:
“Allāh – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255]
You can check our Quran app to read the full tafsir and know hidden secrets of Ayatul Kursi.
Audio Recitaion of Ayatul Kursi
The audio recitation will help you memorise Ayatul Kursi easily, inshaAllah.
Why is Ayatul Kursi Called the Greatest Ayah?
There is debate about whether some Quranic verses more virtuous than others. However, Ayatul Kursi is called the greatest verse. It perfectly describes Allah’s supreme power and perfect attributes in one complete passage.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ confirmed its status when he asked his companion Abu Mundhir (R) which verse was greatest in the Quran, and he correctly answered: Ayatul Kursi (Sahih Muslim 810).
What Makes Ayatul Kursi So Special?
Ayatul Kursi clearly affirms the core belief of Islam like-
- The oneness and perfection of Allah.
- It describes Allah as the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence, who never tires or sleeps.
- Proves He controls everything in heaven and earth.
- He has complete knowledge and power, and nothing happens without His will.
- It also highlights Allah’s supreme authority and greatest names
- Reminds us only He can protect us
For this reason, it is both a statement of faith and a powerful supplication for protection. No other verse does both things so beautifully together.
The Amazing Virtues of Ayatul Kursi
Ayatul Kursi has lots of virtues and powers. Here we’ll discuss some important ones from the hadith of our beloved Messenger ﷺ:
1. The greatest Ayah in the Quran
Ubay ibn Ka’b (R) narrated:
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
Meaning: “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 Apostle 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 struck me on my breast and said: May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu’l-Mundhir!” [Sahih Muslim: 810]
2. It is more precious than the heavens and the earth
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (R) narrated:
مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ سَمَاءٍ وَلاَ أَرْضٍ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ آيَةِ الْكُرْسِيِّ . قَالَ سُفْيَانُ لأَنَّ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ هُوَ كَلاَمُ اللَّهِ وَكَلاَمُ اللَّهِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ
Meaning: “Allah has not created in the heavens nor in the earth what is more magnificent than Ayat Al-Kursi.” Sufyan said: “Because Ayat Al-Kursi is the Speech of Allah, and Allah’s Speech is greater than Allah’s creation of the heavens and the earth.” [Jami Tirmidhi: 2884]
3. Protection from Shaytan throughout the Night
Abu Hurairah (R) narrated:
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 ”
Meaning: “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.’” [Shahih Bukhari: 5010]
4. Guaranteed entry into Jannah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ قَرَأَ آيَةَ اَلْكُرْسِيِّ دُبُرَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ دُخُولِ اَلْجَنَّةِ إِلَّا اَلْمَوْتُ
Meaning: “Whoever reads Āyatul Kursī at the end of (after) each mandatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering paradise except death.” [Sunan Nasai, Tabarani]
We have a dedicated aticle on dua to read after Salah. Read and learn more dua from this.
5. It is the pinnacle of the Quran
Rasulullah ﷺ said:
لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَنَامٌ وَإِنَّ سَنَامَ الْقُرْآنِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ وَفِيهَا آيَةٌ هِيَ سَيِّدَةُ آىِ الْقُرْآنِ هِيَ آيَةُ الْكُرْسِيِّ
Meaning: “For everything there is a hump (pinnacle) and the hump (pinnacle) of the Qur’an is Surat Al-Baqarah, in it there is an Ayah which is the master of the Ayat in the Qur’an; [it is] Ayat Al-Kursi.” [Jami Tirmidhi: 2878; classified as weak]
6. Protection Throughout the Day and Night
Abu Hurairah (R) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever recites Ha Mim Al-Mu’min – up to – To Him is the return (40:1-3) and Ayat Al-Kursi when he reaches (gets up in) the morning, he will be protected by them until the evening. And whoever recites them when he reaches the evening, he will be protected by them until the morning.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2879]
Besides Ayatul Kursi, are there many more duas to recite in the morning and evening.
7. Ayatul Kursi contains the greatest name of Allah
Asma bint Yazid narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
Allah’s greatest name is in these two Ayah:
اللّهُ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) [Surah Al Baqarah,2 :255], and,
الم
اللّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ
(Alif-Lam-Mim. Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists), [Surah Ale Imran, 3:1-2]
8. It can be used for healing and Ruqyah
The glorious Quran is a healing for the believers. Allah himself says:
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا ٨٢
Meaning: “And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.” [Surah Isra, 17: 82]
As Ayatul Kursi is the most precious Ayat in the Quran, it is used by Raqis (Islamic exorcists) for healing patients suffering from evil eye, madness, blindness, jinn, and more. Also, you can use it for self Ruqyah as well.
9. Saytan leaves the house where Ayatul Kursi is recited
Rasulullah ﷺ said in a authentic hadith: “In Surah al-Baqarah there is an ayah which is the best of all the ayats of the Quran. It is never recited in a house but the Shaytan leaves: Ayatul Kursi.”
10. General Barakah of Quran Recitations
When you recite Ayatul Kursi, you receive blessings and rewards since you’re reciting Quran.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites a letter] from Allah’s Book, then he receives the reward from it, and the reward of ten the like of it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
Frequently Asked Questions
Which surah contains Ayatul Kursi?
Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 255.
When to read Ayatul Kursi?
You can read Ayatul Kursi after each Fardh salah, morning and evening, and before sleep. You can also recite it anytime to receive Allah’s protection and blessings, such as during difficult times, illness, or ruqyah.
Is Ayatul Kursi the greatest verse of the Quran?
Yes, many hadiths support this.
Why Ayat Al-Kursi is so often recited?
Ayatul Kursi is recited so often because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ specifically recommended it for daily protection and taught that whoever recites it after every prayer will enter Paradise (Sunan An-Nasai).
This direct prophetic instruction, combined with its powerful protection against harm, makes it the most frequently recited verse by Muslims worldwide.
Conclusion
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ recited the powerful Ayatul Kursi regularly and encouraged his companions to do the same. By reciting this beautiful verse daily, you can surround yourself with Allah’s blessings and offer praise in a way He loves.
Why not make it a daily habit starting today? Let’s begin it now and earn the immense rewards, Insha’Allah.
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