Virtue of reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah before sleeping

Sayyidunā Anas bin Mālik رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ reports that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah and Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ when you lie down in bed; this will protect you from everything except death.”^[1] It is mentioned in another hadith, “When someone amongst you lies on his bed and recites Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, Allah Almighty stations an angel by his side to protect him.”^[2]

Dear Islamic brothers, Sūrah al-Fātiḥah contains seven verses, which we recite in our daily salah. It takes a few seconds to recite it, but its virtues are immense. سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه! Reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah earns you ten good deeds for every letter. The one who recites Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is like the one who recited a third of the Quran. And Allah Almighty stations an angel for the protection of the one who recites Sūrah al-Fātiḥah before sleeping. May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to recite Sūrah al-Fātiḥah regularly, in fact the whole Quran.

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ خَاتَمِ النَّبِیّٖن صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is a prayer

The scholars say Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is a munājāt. Munājāt is defined as speaking secretly, praying or making a plea. When someone supplicates to Allah as though conversing, it is called munājāt. Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is sūrah munājāt. The sūrah begins with the praise and glory of Allah, followed by a supplication from the people.

Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ reports that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

Allah Almighty states,