When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked which verse of the Quran is greatest, he pointed to Ayat al-Kursi (Al-Baqarah 2:255) — a single verse that gathers God's limitless knowledge, absolute sovereignty, and unmatched majesty. Below: its word-by-word meaning, the authentic hadith on its virtue, and how it's practically recited.
The Full Text
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Word-by-Word Meaning
• "Allahu la ilaha illa huwa" — God, there is no god but Him.
• "Al-Hayyu'l-Qayyum" — He is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence.
• "La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm" — Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.
• "Lahu ma fi's-samawati wa ma fi'l-ard" — Everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to Him.
• "Man dha'lladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi'idhnih" — Who can intercede with Him except by His permission?
• "Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum" — He knows what is before them and what is behind them.
• "Wa la yuhituna bishay'in min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'" — They encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills.
• "Wasi'a kursiyyuhu's-samawati wa'l-ard" — His kursi extends over the heavens and the earth.
• "Wa la ya'uduhu hifzuhuma" — Preserving them tires Him not.
• "Wa huwa'l-'Aliyyu'l-'Azim" — He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Authentic Hadith on Its Virtue
Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may God be pleased with him) recounts: the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, "Which verse of the Quran is greatest?" and he answered, "Ayat al-Kursi." The Messenger of God (peace be upon him) lightly struck his chest and said, "May this knowledge bring you blessing" (Muslim).
In the well-known hadith reported by Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him), a devil came for three nights to steal from the Prophet's charity stores; on the last night, after being caught, it recited this verse to secure its release and told the Messenger of God about it. The Prophet said, "He told you the truth, even though he is a habitual liar" (Bukhari).
In a report from An-Nasa'i, the Prophet said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing but death will prevent them from entering Paradise."
When Is It Recited?
1. Immediately after every obligatory prayer (An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hibban).
2. Before sleep — the Prophet promised protection by an angel for that night (Bukhari).
3. When leaving the house — it is among the morning and evening supplications.
4. As part of morning and evening remembrance.
What Does "Kursi" Mean?
The word "kursi" means "throne" or "footstool" in Arabic. Tafsir scholars have offered two approaches: (1) a literal divine station symbolizing God's knowledge or authority; (2) a figure of speech expressing limitless sovereignty. Ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) identified the kursi with God's knowledge. Both readings arrive at the same message: God's sovereignty and protection encompass everything.
The Verse's Place Within the Quran
Ayat al-Kursi sits at the midpoint of Surah Al-Baqarah, immediately following a passage addressing faith and disbelief. After the preceding verses describe the sending of prophets and how people responded to faith, this verse effectively summarizes the foundation of God's oneness that the whole passage rests on. The verse that follows immediately after, "There is no compulsion in religion" (Al-Baqarah 256), reminds that this firm foundation of faith only carries meaning when embraced willingly. In this sense, Ayat al-Kursi is not a standalone text read in isolation, but the keystone of the surah's whole structure of faith.
A Few Suggestions for Reading with Understanding
The real way to benefit from Ayat al-Kursi is reading it while dwelling on its meaning, rather than rushing through it from memory. Breaking the verse into its parts and recalling which divine attribute each sentence conveys turns the reading into a practice of reflection. Seeing the translation alongside a word-by-word rendering keeps the meaning alive, especially for those who don't know Arabic. Those who want to turn regular reading into a habit can fold it into a short morning and evening remembrance routine. For a broader framework on remembrance after prayer, see our article Surahs Read Before and After Prayer.
It's a short verse, but few others pack this much of God's attributes into so little space. Reading it while following its meaning, rather than rushing through from memory, and at the times named in hadith, makes a real difference. Listen to and read it on the Al-Baqarah 2:255 page, and pair it with Al-Baqarah 2:285 (Amana ar-Rasulu) in your pre-sleep routine. For more verses on God's oneness, the Attributes of God collection is worth a look.
Note: This content is for general information; different schools of thought and scholars may hold differing views. Consult a scholar you trust for personal religious decisions.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitâbü'l-Vekâle
- Sahih Muslim, Kitâbü Salâti'l-Müsâfirîn
- Sünen-i Nesâî, Kitâbu's-Sehv
- Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, Bakara 255