Words of refuge taught in the Quran and Sunnah for protection from harm, from the evil of what Allah has created, from the whispers of devils and from people who intend harm.
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
Transliteration: A'udhu bi kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.
Translation: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2708, 2709
When to recite: When stopping at a place on a journey or arriving somewhere new, and in the evening.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِي نُحُورِهِمْ، وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُورِهِمْ
Transliteration: Allahumma inna naj'aluka fi nuhurihim, wa na'udhu bika min shururihim.
Translation: O Allah, we place You before them, and we seek refuge in You from their evil.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 1537
When to recite: When you fear harm from a person or group of people.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Transliteration: Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma'asmihi shay'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i wa huwas-Sami'ul-'Alim.
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: 3 times
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 5088; Jami at-Tirmidhi 3388
When to recite: In the morning and in the evening.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي
Transliteration: Allahumma inni as'alukal-'afiyata fid-dunya wal-akhirah. Allahumma inni as'alukal-'afwa wal-'afiyata fi dini wa dunyaya wa ahli wa mali. Allahummastur 'awrati wa amin raw'ati. Allahummah-fazni min bayni yadayya wa min khalfi wa 'an yamini wa 'an shimali wa min fawqi, wa a'udhu bi 'azamatika an ughtala min tahti.
Translation: O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly life, my family and my wealth. O Allah, cover my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, protect me from in front of me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your greatness from being seized from beneath me.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 5074
When to recite: Every morning and evening.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabi jahannam, wa min 'adhabil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat, wa min sharri fitnatil-masihid-dajjal.
Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah (ad-Dajjal).
Source: Sahih Muslim 588
When to recite: In the final sitting of the prayer, after the tashahhud and before the salam.
أُعِيذُكُمَا بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
Transliteration: U'idhukuma bi kalimatillahit-tammah, min kulli shaytanin wa hammah, wa min kulli 'aynin lammah.
Translation: I seek protection for you both in the perfect words of Allah, from every devil and every poisonous creature, and from every harmful evil eye.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 4737; Jami at-Tirmidhi 2060; Sahih al-Bukhari 3371
When to recite: For your children, whenever you ask Allah to protect them.
حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ ﴿١٧٣﴾
Transliteration: Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal-wakil.
Translation: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!
Source: Quran 3:173 (Surah Ali 'Imran)
When to recite: When facing fear, threats, injustice or an overwhelming situation.
Hadith references follow the standard numbering on sunnah.com. Quranic Arabic is the Uthmani text with the Pickthall (1930, public domain) translation; other translations are our own.