Ayatul Kursi is verse 255 of Surah al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Quran, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called it the greatest verse in the Book of Allah. Known in English as the Verse of the Throne, it is a single, powerful description of who God is: living, sustaining, all-knowing and never tired.
Muslims recite Ayatul Kursi after prayers and before sleep, and many memorize it as children. For readers new to Islam, it is one of the clearest windows into how the Quran describes God. "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for God, and Arabic-speaking Christians use it too.
Key takeaways
- Ayatul Kursi is verse 2:255, found in Surah al-Baqarah, the second and longest surah of the Quran, in the third of its 30 parts (juz).
- The Prophet Muhammad described Ayatul Kursi as the greatest verse in the Quran, according to a hadith in Sahih Muslim.
- The name comes from the word Kursi in the verse, often translated as "Throne" or "Footstool", which "extends over the heavens and the earth."
- A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari teaches that reciting Ayatul Kursi before sleep brings a guardian from Allah who protects the reader until morning.
- The verse contains four of Allah's names: the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, the Most High and the Most Great.
Ayatul Kursi is in which surah?
Ayatul Kursi is in Surah al-Baqarah ("The Cow"), the second surah of the Quran. It is verse 255 of the surah's 286 verses, which is why it is written as 2:255. It falls in the third juz, a little after the middle of the surah.
The verse sits inside a passage about faith, generosity and the Day of Judgment. The verse just before it, 2:254, warns of a Day "in which there is no exchange and no friendship and no intercession." Ayatul Kursi follows by describing the One who holds all authority on that Day.
The verse right after it, 2:256, opens with one of the Quran's best-known principles: "There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion." Reading these verses together shows how the description of God leads into a call to free, sincere belief.
Ayatul Kursi in English (Sahih International)
Here is the complete verse in the Sahih International translation, the English translation used across Quran Universe.
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.
Words in square brackets are added by the translators to make the Arabic meaning clear in English. They are not extra words in the original text.
Ayatul Kursi English transliteration
A transliteration spells out the Arabic sounds using English letters, so people who cannot yet read Arabic script can follow along. In the version below, an apostrophe (') marks the Arabic letter 'ayn, and "ee" and "oo" mark long vowels.
Allahu la ilaha illa huwa alhayyu alqayyoomu la takhuthuhu sinatun wala nawmun lahu ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi man tha allathee yashfa'u 'indahu illa biithnihi ya'lamu ma bayna aydeehim wama khalfahum wala yuheetoona bishayin min 'ilmihi illa bima shaa wasi'a kursiyyuhu alssamawati waalarda wala yaooduhu hifthuhuma wahuwa al'aliyyu al'atheemu
Transliteration is a helpful bridge, but several Arabic sounds have no exact English match. If you want to recite Ayatul Kursi correctly, listen to a skilled reciter or learn with a teacher alongside the text. Our guide on how to read the Quran has practical tips for beginners.
Ayatul Kursi meaning in English, phrase by phrase
Scholars often point out that Ayatul Kursi is made of about ten short statements, each one revealing something about God. Here is what each part means.
- "Allah - there is no deity except Him." This is the core of Islamic belief, called tawhid (the oneness of God). Nothing else deserves worship.
- "The Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence." Al-Hayy means His life has no beginning and no end. Al-Qayyum means He depends on nothing, while everything depends on Him to exist at every moment.
- "Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep." The Arabic sinah is the light drowsiness that comes before sleep. Not even that touches Him, so His care for creation never lapses.
- "To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth." Everything we own is really on loan. True ownership belongs to God alone.
- "Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?" Intercession on the Day of Judgment is real in Islamic belief, but no one can speak for another unless God allows it.
- "He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them." His knowledge covers past, present and future completely.
- "They encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills." Every scrap of human knowledge, from science to scripture, is something He chose to let us know.
- "His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth." This line gives the verse its name and conveys the vast scale of His dominion.
- "Their preservation tires Him not." Holding the whole universe together costs Him no effort at all.
- "And He is the Most High, the Most Great." The verse closes with two of His names, al-'Aliyy and al-'Azim, affirming that He is above and greater than everything.
Taken together, the verse moves from who God is, to what He owns, to what He knows, to how vast His rule is. It ends where it began: with His greatness.
Why is it called the Verse of the Throne?
Kursi literally means a chair or seat, which is why the verse is popularly called the Verse of the Throne in English. Many classical scholars, following the Prophet's companion Ibn Abbas, explain that the Kursi is distinct from the Throne ('Arsh), which is even greater. Ibn Kathir records this view in his commentary, along with an early report that understood the Kursi as a reference to God's knowledge.
The mainstream Sunni approach is to affirm what God says about Himself without imagining it in human terms. The lesson is about scale. If the Kursi alone extends over the heavens and the earth, the One who created it is beyond anything we can picture.
Benefits of Ayatul Kursi
Many benefits are attributed to Ayatul Kursi online, but the following are reported in well-known, authentic hadith collections.
The greatest verse in the Quran
In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet asked his companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b which verse of the Book of Allah was the greatest. When Ubayy answered with the opening words of Ayatul Kursi, the Prophet struck his chest warmly and congratulated him on his knowledge. Scholars explain that its greatness comes from its subject: it is entirely about God Himself.
Ayatul Kursi protection before sleep
Sahih al-Bukhari records a story in which the companion Abu Hurayrah caught a thief stealing from charity food. The thief taught him that whoever recites Ayatul Kursi when going to bed will have a guardian from Allah, and no devil will come near him until morning. The Prophet confirmed that this advice was true, even though the one who gave it was a liar.
After the obligatory prayers
An-Nasa'i reports that whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after each obligatory prayer has nothing between him and Paradise except death. Scholars such as al-Albani graded this narration authentic. For this reason, it is a regular part of the remembrance Muslims say after the five daily prayers.
Importance of Ayatul Kursi in daily life
The protection mentioned in these hadith is not a magic charm. Scholars stress that it comes from sincere remembrance of God, combined with faith and good conduct. Reciting it with understanding is what turns it from a routine into an act of trust.
Many Muslims build Ayatul Kursi into three moments of the day: after each obligatory prayer, in the morning and evening remembrance, and before sleep. Others pair it with the short protective surahs covered in our guide to the four Quls, or with the closing verses of the same surah explained in the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah.
For non-Muslim readers, Ayatul Kursi offers a compact picture of God in Islam: one, living, all-knowing, free of every human weakness and in need of nothing. It explains why Muslims see worship as directed to God alone.
Read Ayatul Kursi with tafsir on Quran Universe
You can read Ayatul Kursi on Quran Universe with the Arabic text, word-by-word meaning, transliteration and its verse card. The page also includes Tafsir Ibn Kathir, the classical commentary explained in our article on what tafsir is.
Frequently asked questions
What number is Ayatul Kursi in the Quran?
Ayatul Kursi is verse number 255 of Surah al-Baqarah, the second surah of the Quran. It is written as 2:255, meaning surah 2, verse 255. It is found in the third juz (part) of the Quran.
What does Ayatul Kursi protect from?
According to a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, whoever recites Ayatul Kursi before going to sleep will have a guardian from Allah, and no devil will approach them until morning. Muslims understand this as spiritual protection granted by God, not as a charm that works without faith.
Why is Ayatul Kursi called the greatest verse?
The Prophet Muhammad told his companion Ubayy ibn Ka'b that it is the greatest verse in the Quran, as reported in Sahih Muslim. Scholars explain that it is entirely devoted to describing God, His oneness, life, knowledge and power. No other single verse gathers so many of His attributes so concisely.
When should you recite Ayatul Kursi?
The most common times are before sleep, after each of the five obligatory prayers, and as part of the morning and evening remembrance. The first is based on a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, and the second on a narration in an-Nasa'i graded authentic by scholars. It can also be recited at any other time.
Is Ayatul Kursi the same as the Verse of the Throne?
Yes, the Verse of the Throne is the common English name for Ayatul Kursi. Kursi literally means a seat or footstool, and many scholars distinguish it from the Throne ('Arsh). The English name is a popular translation rather than an exact one.