69/7. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5362 — Never Leaving Bedtime Dhikr
A servant for one's wife
Bedtime Dhikr Hadith and the Practice of Ali
Sahih Bukhari : 5362
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5362
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي يَزِيدَ، سَمِعَ مُجَاهِدًا، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي لَيْلَى، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ ـ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ ـ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَسْأَلُهُ خَادِمًا فَقَالَ " أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكِ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكِ مِنْهُ، تُسَبِّحِينَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ مَنَامِكِ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ، وَتَحْمَدِينَ اللَّهَ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ، وَتُكَبِّرِينَ اللَّهَ أَرْبَعًا وَثَلاَثِينَ ". ـ ثُمَّ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ إِحْدَاهُنَّ أَرْبَعٌ وَثَلاَثُونَ ـ فَمَا تَرَكْتُهَا بَعْدُ، قِيلَ وَلاَ لَيْلَةَ صِفِّينَ قَالَ وَلاَ لَيْلَةَ صِفِّينَ.
'Ali bin Abi Talib Narrated from:
Fatima came to the Prophet (ﷺ) asking for a servant. He said, "May I inform you of something better than that? When you go to bed, recite "Subhan Allah' thirty three times, 'Al hamduli l-lah' thirty three times, and 'Allahu Akbar' thirty four times. `Ali added, 'I have never failed to recite it ever since." Somebody asked, "Even on the night of the battle of Siffin?" He said, "Even on the night of the battle of Siffin."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5362In-book reference : Book 69, Hadith 12USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 64, Hadith 275
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5362
This Hadith repeats the teaching of bedtime dhikr and adds a strong personal detail from Ali. Fatima asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم for a servant, and he taught her something better for her: to glorify Allah thirty-three times, praise Allah thirty-three times, and magnify Allah thirty-four times when going to bed. Ali then said that he never left this practice after hearing it. When he was asked whether he kept it even on the night of Siffin, he said yes. The Hadith about dhikr before sleep shows steady practice, not just knowing the words. It teaches that simple daily remembrance can become a lasting habit even during hard times.
What we learn from this hadith
- A short bedtime dhikr can become a lasting daily habit.
- Ali’s example shows steady practice after learning from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The dhikr includes tasbih, tahmid, and takbir before sleep.
- Hard nights did not make Ali abandon this remembrance.
