Bedtime Sunnahs

Bedtime Sunnahs is an Islamic picture book for children aged 4 to 9 that teaches, in rhyme, the things the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did before he went to sleep, so children can follow his example one night at a time.

The book starts with a familiar routine: brush your teeth, make wudu, put your pyjamas on, hop into bed and read a book or two. But it is not time to sleep yet, because there are Sunnahs to keep. Children say their adhkar: Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times, because praising Allah puts light in the heart. They recite the three Quls, the last three surahs of the Qur'an, which Muslims say morning and night for protection.

Then they raise their hands and make dua, asking Allah for everything they dream of, and for the people they love, the sick, the needy and the whole Ummah. Finally they say Bismillah, give hugs and kisses, and lie down on their right side, as the Prophet ﷺ taught.

Written by Alia G. Dada and illustrated by Robin Boyer, the book gives families a bedtime routine to share. The app's description says it also explains the Islamic words it uses, gives the hadiths behind each practice, and adds further practices for older readers and adults.

It was time to go night-night. First came the things every child knows: brush your teeth, make wudu, pyjamas on, then hop into bed and read a book or two. Time to sleep? No, wait: there were still some Sunnahs to keep.

Praising Allah puts light in the heart so that it shines. So the children said their adhkar: Alhamdulillah 33 times, Subhanallah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times.

Next came the three Quls, the last three chapters of the Qur'an. The children recited them every day, morning and night, to keep all the bad things away.

Hands up, hands up: there was dua to make before they closed their eyes. They raised their hands up towards the skies and asked Allah for all that they dreamed of, not forgetting the people they loved, the sick, the needy and the entire Ummah. Ameen.

Then they said Bismillah before they laid down their heads, gave hugs and kisses to their loved ones, and turned towards the right, as our Prophet ﷺ said. And then they dozed off to sleep.

• Sahih al-Bukhari 247: When you go to bed, make wudu as you do for prayer, then lie down on your right side.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 5017: Every night when the Prophet ﷺ went to bed, he recited Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas into his cupped hands and wiped them over his body.
• Sahih al-Bukhari 3113 and 6318: The Prophet ﷺ told Ali and Fatimah to say Allahu Akbar 34 times, Subhanallah 33 times and Alhamdulillah 33 times when they went to bed.