Ayat al-Kursi – The Verse of the Throne (Quran 2:255)

The meaning of Ayat al-Kursi, phrase by phrase

The verse is made up of ten short statements about Allah. Here is what each one says, in plain English.

1. “Allah – there is no deity except Him” — The verse opens with the core statement of Islamic belief: Allah alone is worthy of worship. Everything that follows explains why.
2. “the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence (al-Hayy al-Qayyum)” — Al-Hayy describes a life that has no beginning and no end and depends on nothing. Al-Qayyum describes the One who exists by Himself and keeps everything else in existence.
3. “Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep” — Unlike His creation, Allah never tires, dozes or sleeps. His care for the universe never lapses, even for a moment.
4. “To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth” — Ownership of everything — seen and unseen — is His alone. Whatever people hold is entrusted to them for a time.
5. “Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?” — No one can speak on behalf of another before Allah unless He allows it. This rules out the idea of intermediaries who have power over Him.
6. “He knows what is before them and what will be after them” — His knowledge covers the past, the present and the future, and everything that is hidden from people.
7. “and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills” — Human beings, and all other creatures, know only what Allah chooses to let them know.
8. “His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth” — The verse takes its name from this phrase. Many classical scholars explained the Kursi as a vast created thing, distinct from the Throne (al-‘Arsh), that encompasses the heavens and the earth; other interpretations were also reported. Translations often leave the word as “Kursi” or render it as “Footstool” or “Throne”.
9. “and their preservation tires Him not” — Keeping the heavens and the earth in order is no burden at all for Him.
10. “And He is the Most High, the Most Great (al-‘Aliyy al-‘Azim)” — The verse closes with two of the names of Allah, affirming that He is above all things in rank and power, and supremely great.

Virtues of Ayat al-Kursi in authentic hadith

• The greatest verse of the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b which verse in the Book of Allah was the greatest. Ubayy replied with “Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence”, and the Prophet ﷺ congratulated him on his knowledge.(Sahih Muslim 810)
• Protection at night. In a long narration about guarding the zakah of Ramadan, Abu Hurairah was taught that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi when going to bed will have a guardian from Allah, and no devil will come near him until morning. The Prophet ﷺ confirmed that this was true.(Sahih al-Bukhari 2311)

Tips for memorising Ayat al-Kursi

• Listen to the recitation several times while following the Arabic, then try reciting along with it.
• Learn it in the ten short phrases listed above — one or two phrases a day is enough for most people.
• Use the word-by-word table so that you understand each phrase as you memorise it.
• Recite it before sleeping each night; the daily repetition keeps it firmly in memory.
• If you can, ask someone who reads well, or a teacher at your local mosque, to listen to you and correct your pronunciation.

Where Ayat al-Kursi sits in the Quran

Ayat al-Kursi comes in the third juz, about halfway through Surah Al-Baqarah. It is followed by verse 256, which begins “There shall be no compulsion in religion”. For the closing verses of the same surah, seeAl-Baqarah 2:285–286, and for more supplications see our duas collection.