Bismillahillazi La Yadurru Dua: Meaning and Benefits
Bismillahillazi La Yadurru is one of the shortest and most powerful duas for protection in the Sunnah. In a few words, it places a person under the name of Allah, so that nothing on earth or in the heavens can harm him except by Allah’s will. You may also see it written as Bismillahilladhi La Yadurru, Bismillahi Lazi La Yadurru, or simply the “La Yadurru dua”. They all refer to the same authentic dua. In this guide you will find the full Bismillahillazi La Yadurru dua in Arabic, its transliteration, its meaning word by word, its benefits from authentic Hadith, the right time to read it, and the mistakes people often make with it.
Bismillahillazi La Yadurru Full Dua in Arabic
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Transliteration:
Bismillahil lazi la yadurru ma’as mihi shay’un fil ardi wa la fis sama’i wa huwas Sami’ul Alim.
English translation:
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.
How many times: three times in the morning and three times in the evening.
Bismillahillazi La Yadurru Meaning: Word by Word
The heart of the dua is the phrase “la yadurru ma’as mihi shay’un”: nothing causes harm along with His name. When a person begins his day or night with Allah’s name, he enters a protected space. Whatever exists, on the earth or in the sky, from germs to accidents to the evil of people and jinn, is under Allah’s control, and none of it can break through the protection of His name except by His decree.
The dua then closes with two of Allah’s beautiful names: As Sami’ (the All Hearing) and Al Alim (the All Knowing). He hears the dua of His servant, and He knows every danger that the servant cannot see. So the dua begins with seeking protection and ends with the certainty that the One being asked is fully aware.
Benefits of Bismillahillazi La Yadurru from Authentic Hadith
The main source of this dua is a Hadith narrated by Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ, said:
مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَقُولُ فِي صَبَاحِ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَمَسَاءِ كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ، ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَيَضُرُّهُ شَيْءٌ (Jami at Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith 3388)
There is no servant who says in the morning of every day and the evening of every night, “In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing” three times, and then anything harms him.
Imam al Tirmidhi graded this Hadith hasan sahih gharib. In the narration of Sunan Abi Dawud (Book of Manners, Hadith 5088), the wording explains the benefit even more clearly: whoever says it three times in the evening will not be struck by a sudden calamity until morning, and whoever says it three times in the morning will not be struck by a sudden calamity until evening. Shaykh al Albani also graded this narration as authentic.
So the key benefits of Bismillahillazi La Yadurru are:
- Protection from sudden harm and calamity, from morning until evening and from evening until morning.
- A daily renewal of trust in Allah, reminding the heart that all harm and benefit are in His hands.
- An easy Sunnah, just one short sentence, three times, twice a day.
The Story Behind the Hadith: A Lesson in Certainty
The Hadith comes with a remarkable story. Its narrator, Aban ibn Uthman, the son of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), later suffered from partial paralysis. A man who had heard him narrate this Hadith looked at him with surprise. Aban understood the look and said: the Hadith is exactly as I told you, but on that day I did not say it, so that Allah’s decree could be fulfilled (Jami at Tirmidhi and Sunan Abi Dawud, in the same narration).
This story teaches two deep lessons. First, the narrator himself did not doubt the Hadith for a moment; he blamed his own missed recitation, not the promise. Second, it shows that Allah’s decree is real, and that the daily adhkar are among the means Allah has made for our protection. A believer holds on to them with certainty, while also accepting whatever Allah decrees.
When to Read Bismillahillazi La Yadurru
Based on the Hadith, recite this dua:
- In the morning, three times, ideally after Fajr prayer as part of your morning adhkar.
- In the evening, three times, ideally after Asr or at the start of the night as part of your evening adhkar.
Scholars such as Imam al Nawawi included this dua among the morning and evening adhkar. It pairs beautifully with other authentic protection duas, such as reciting Surah Al Ikhlas, Surah Al Falaq and Surah An Nas three times each in the morning and evening (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 5082), and reciting Ayatul Kursi before sleeping (Sahih al Bukhari, Hadith 2311).
Common Mistakes with the La Yadurru Dua
- Reciting it without presence of heart. The power of the dua lies in its meaning. Reciting it while understanding that nothing can harm you without Allah’s permission is very different from rushing through the words.
- Treating it like a charm. This dua is not an amulet to hang or a magic formula. It is dhikr: remembering Allah and seeking His protection.
- Neglecting practical precautions. Saying the dua does not mean driving carelessly or ignoring medical advice. Islam joins trust in Allah with taking the means, as the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ taught: tie your camel, then trust in Allah.
- Changing the number. The Sunnah is three times, morning and evening. Reciting it more as dhikr is fine, but no special reward is proven for larger set numbers.
- Shortening it to “Bismillah” alone. Saying Bismillah is a Sunnah in its own right before eating, entering the home and more, but the specific protection mentioned in this Hadith is tied to the full wording of the dua.
A Final Word
Bismillahillazi La Yadurru is a gift from the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: a dua that takes less than ten seconds to say, yet wraps your whole day and night in the protection of Allah’s name. In a world full of unseen dangers, it reminds the believer that the One whose name he carries is the All Hearing and the All Knowing. Memorise it, teach it to your children, and make it part of your morning and evening routine, three times each, with a heart full of certainty.
