Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Many Muslims learn it early, and many recite it every night before sleep. The Prophet ﷺ called it the greatest verse in the Quran. This article explains its meaning phrase by phrase and covers the times Muslims recite it.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٢٥٥
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. 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 Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Surah Al-Baqara (2:255)
The name
The verse takes its name from the word kursi, which appears in the middle of it. Scholars give different meanings for the Kursi. Some say it is the Throne ('Arsh) itself. Others say it is a created thing, smaller than the Throne, that sits beneath it. Ibn Abbas is reported to have described the Kursi as the footstool under the Throne.
The verse does not describe the Kursi's shape or size in detail. Scholars do not agree on more than this. A reader can accept the Kursi as part of Allah's majesty without trying to picture it.
The greatest verse
In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ asked his companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b which verse of the Book of Allah he thought was the greatest. Ubayy said that Allah and His Messenger knew best. The Prophet asked again. This time Ubayy named Ayat al-Kursi, and the Prophet welcomed the answer warmly.
Some commentators explain the title by pointing out that the verse gathers many of Allah's names and attributes into one place. It speaks of His oneness, His life, His knowledge, and His control over everything.
Phrase by phrase
Allah. There is no deity except Him.
The verse begins with tawhid, the oneness of Allah. The word ilah means a being worthy of worship. The verse says that only Allah has that right. Every phrase after this one builds on this first claim.
The Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting Sustainer.
Two names come together here. Al-Hayy is the One who lives forever. Al-Qayyum is the One who keeps everything in existence and depends on nothing else. Created things live and die, and they need others to sustain them. Allah does not. The Quran joins these two names again in Surah Aal-'Imran (3:2).
Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.
Drowsiness and sleep are human needs. The verse says that Allah is never affected by weakness or rest. His care for creation does not stop, even for a moment.
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on the earth.
Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. He owns it and He manages it. A reader who hears this line is reminded that nothing is outside His ownership, including the things a person thinks of as their own.
Who can intercede with Him except by His permission?
No one can plead for another before Allah unless He permits it. This removes the idea that any creature can force Allah to act. Intercession exists, but it depends entirely on Allah's permission.
He knows what is before them and what is behind them.
Allah knows what people have done and what lies ahead for them. Commentators give several readings of "before them and behind them." The most common is that it covers the past and the future, or what people can see and what is hidden from them.
They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.
People know only what Allah allows them to know. This is a reminder of human limits. A believer can study and learn a great deal, but never reaches the full extent of Allah's knowledge.
His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth.
The verse returns to the Kursi and says it extends over the heavens and the earth. The image is meant to show Allah's greatness. It is not a physical description, and it should be read as a statement about His majesty.
Their preservation does not tire Him.
Keeping the heavens and the earth in order costs Allah no effort. The verse answers the thought that such a huge task might wear Him out. It does not, because He is not created and has no limits.
He is the Most High, the Most Great.
The verse ends with two names: Al-'Ali, the Most High, and Al-'Azim, the Most Great. The verse begins with Allah's oneness and ends with His greatness.
When Muslims recite it
The most widely known time is at bedtime. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Abu Hurayrah was guarding the Zakat of Ramadan when a visitor came and started taking food. The visitor offered to teach him a verse that would protect him through the night. It was Ayat al-Kursi. When Abu Hurayrah told the Prophet ﷺ about it, the Prophet said the visitor had spoken the truth, though he is a liar.
The verse is also recited after each obligatory prayer. A narration recorded by an-Nasa'i says that whoever recites it after each prayer has nothing between him and Paradise except death. Scholars grade this narration differently. Many Muslims still recite it after each prayer, based on this report.
Many collections of morning and evening remembrance include Ayat al-Kursi. People recite it for protection, both for themselves and for their homes.
Some popular claims about reciting it a set number of times, with a fixed reward attached, are not supported by strong evidence. It is better to stick to what the reports clearly say and to recite the verse with understanding.
Learning it
Read the verse slowly, one phrase at a time. Pause after each phrase and think about what it means. You do not need to know the commentary to benefit from the verse.
Start with the first three phrases and add more each week. Knowing the meaning of each phrase makes the verse easier to remember, and it becomes a prayer you understand as you say it.
Read 2:255 in the word-by-word reader to see how each word connects to the meaning.