It was narrated that Abaan ibn ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) said, narrating from ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Whoever says ‘Bismillah illadhi la yadurru ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ard wa la fi’l-sama’ wa huwa al-samee’ ul-‘aleem (In the name of Allah with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing)’, three times, will not be stricken with a sudden affliction until morning comes, and whoever says them when morning comes will not be stricken with a sudden affliction until evening comes.”
He said: Abaan ibn ‘Uthmaan was afflicted with paralysis and the man who had heard this hadith from him started looking at him. He said to him: Why are you looking at me? By Allah, I did not tell a lie about ‘Uthmaan and ‘Uthmaan did not tell a lie about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But the day which that (paralysis) befell me, I got angry and forgot to say them.
Narrated by Abu Dawood (5088). It was also narrated by at-Tirmidhi in his Sunan (no. 3388) as follows:
“There is no one who says in the morning of every day and the evening of every night ‘Bismillah illadhi la yadurru ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ard wa la fi’l-sama’ wa huwa al-samee’ ul-‘aleem (In the name of Allah with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing)’, three times but nothing will harm him.”
At-Tirmidhi said: It is hasan saheeh ghareeb. It was classed as saheeh by Ibn al-Qayyim in Zaad al-Ma‘aad (2/338) and by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Dr ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq al-Badr said:
This is one of the great adhkaar that the Muslim should recite every morning and evening, so that he may be protected thereby, by Allah’s leave, against being struck by a sudden calamity or disastrous harm or the like. Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning this hadith: This is a saheeh report and true words that have been proven to us by experience. Ever since I heard it I acted upon it, and nothing harmed me until I omitted to do it. A scorpion stung me in Madinah one night, and when I thought about it I realised that I had forgotten to seek refuge with Allah by reciting these words.
See: al-Futoohaat ar-Rabbaanyyah by Ibn ‘Allaan (3/100).
The Sunnah with regard to this dhikr is to say it three times every morning and evening, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught.
The words “illadhi la yadurru ma‘a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ard wa la fi’l-sama’ (with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven)”mean: whoever seeks refuge in the name of Allah, no calamity can harm him from the direction of the earth or from the direction of heaven.
And the words “wa huwa al-samee‘ ul-‘aleem (and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing)” mean: He hears all that people say and knows all their deeds, none of which are hidden from Him on earth or in heaven.
