Ayat al-Kursi: Meaning, Translation and Significance
Ayat al-Kursi, "the Verse of the Throne", is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah. It describes Allah as the Ever-Living and Self-Sustaining, owner of the heavens and the earth, whose knowledge and authority are complete. Authentic narrations describe it as the greatest verse in the Quran and a protection when recited before sleep.
Key Takeaways
- Ayat al-Kursi is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, named after the word Kursi that appears in it.
- It describes Allah's life, sovereignty, knowledge and power, and that no one intercedes with Him except by His permission.
- In Sahih Muslim 810, the Prophet affirmed it as the greatest verse in the Book of Allah.
- In Sahih al-Bukhari 5010, reciting it on going to bed is described as bringing a guard from Allah through the night.
- It's short enough to memorise in a few sessions, and worth learning with correct Tajweed from a teacher.
The Verse in Full
| Part | Text |
|---|---|
| Arabic | 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 |
| Transliteration | Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyum, la ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard, man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnih, ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay'im-min 'ilmihi illa bima sha', wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya'uduhu hifdhuhuma, wa huwal-'aliyyul-'adhim |
| Translation | "Allah - 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 Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great." (Al-Baqarah, 2:255, Sahih International) |
Transliteration is only an approximation of the Arabic sounds, so it's best to learn the pronunciation from a teacher with correct Tajweed.
The Meaning, Phrase by Phrase
| Phrase (translation) | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| There is no deity except Him | The foundation of belief: Allah alone is worthy of worship |
| The Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining | His life is perfect, and everything depends on Him while He depends on nothing |
| Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep | His care over creation never lapses, even for a moment |
| To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth | Complete ownership of all that exists |
| Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? | No one has authority beside Him |
| He knows what is before them and after them | His knowledge is complete, while ours is limited to what He wills |
| His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth | The vastness of His dominion |
| Their preservation tires Him not | Sustaining all of creation is no burden to Him |
| He is the Most High, the Most Great | A closing affirmation of His greatness |
These are brief summaries to help reflection. Scholars have written at length on this verse, including on the meaning of the Kursi, so for deeper study use reliable tafsir.
What the Authentic Narrations Say
- The greatest verse. Ubayy bin Ka'b reported that the Prophet asked him which verse of the Book of Allah was the greatest. When he answered with this verse, the Prophet struck his chest and said, "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu'l-Mundhir!" (Sahih Muslim 810).
- Protection at night. In a narration from Abu Huraira, reciting Ayat al-Kursi on going to bed is described as bringing "a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long", and the Prophet confirmed that what was said was true (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010).
Memorising Ayat al-Kursi
- Listen to it several times from a clear reciter or your teacher.
- Split it into its nine phrases, using the meaning table above.
- Memorise two or three phrases per session, linking each to the ones before.
- Recite it daily, for example before sleeping, so it stays strong.
Ayat al-Kursi sits within the Quran's longest surah, introduced in our guide to Surah Al-Baqarah. Our guide to understanding the Quran word by word shows how to study its individual words.
Learn It Properly with a Teacher
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