Children are told scary things about shaytan and are rarely told what to do about him. Islam is the opposite: shaytan is real, he whispers, and Allah gave us short, easy protections that a seven-year-old can use. Allah tells us to seek refuge with Him when a whisper comes. The Prophet ﷺ taught Abu Hurayra that reciting Ayat al-Kursi at bedtime places a guard over you until morning, he recited al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas into his hands each night, he taught one sentence that removes anger, he taught families to close up the house and mention Allah's name at nightfall, and he told us shaytan flees when the adhan is called. Nothing here is folklore — every point has an ayah from the verified text or a hadith you can open yourself.
Lesson 1 · A'udhu billah · ages 5-7
One sentence of refuge
Allah tells us that when a whisper comes, we seek refuge with Him — and He hears immediately.
1Allah's instruction
Allah says that if a whisper from shaytan touches you, seek refuge with Allah — He is Hearing and Knowing.
2Say it before reciting
Allah tells us that when we recite the Qur'an we first seek refuge with Him from shaytan.
3Shaytan is not strong
Allah teaches the Prophet ﷺ to ask for refuge from the whisperers, because whispering is all they can do.
4Whispers are not sins
A bad thought that arrives is not a sin; what you do next is what counts.
5Learn the words now
Memorise the sentence while you are calm so it is ready when you are not.
Wa qur Rabbi a'oozu bika min hamazaatish Shayaateen
“And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils,”
Memorise this
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim
I seek refuge with Allah from shaytan, the rejected.
Qur'an 16:98
Do this before next time
Say a'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim before you open the Qur'an today.
Lesson 2 · A guard until morning · ages 8-11
Ayat al-Kursi at bedtime
The Prophet ﷺ confirmed that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping has a guard from Allah until morning.
1The story
Abu Hurayra was guarding the sadaqah of Ramadan and caught a thief three nights in a row; on the third night the thief taught him words in exchange for release.
2The words
The thief told him: when you go to bed recite Ayat al-Kursi, and Allah will appoint a guard for you so no shaytan comes near you until morning.
3The Prophet ﷺ confirmed it
When Abu Hurayra told the Prophet ﷺ, he said the thief had told the truth even though he is a liar — and told him it was shaytan.
4Which ayah
Ayat al-Kursi is Surah al-Baqarah, ayah 255 — the greatest ayah about Allah's power and knowledge.
5Learn it slowly
Break it into three parts over three weeks; a child who learns it has a protection for life.
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa'u indahooo illaa bi-iznih; ya'lamu maa baina aydeehim wa mww khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai'im min 'ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa'; wasi'a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa ya'ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul 'Azeem
“Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
“Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"-- 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2311
Do this before next time
Start learning Ayat al-Kursi tonight — the first line only — and recite what you know before sleeping.
Lesson 3 · The Prophet's ﷺ routine · ages 5-7
The three surahs at night
Every night the Prophet ﷺ recited al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas into his hands and wiped over himself.
1The hadith
Aishah reported that whenever the Prophet ﷺ went to bed he cupped his hands, recited Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, blew into them, and wiped over his body.
2How many times
The narration says he did that three times, starting with his head and face.
3Short surahs
All three are short enough for a five-year-old to learn in a few weeks.
4What they say
Al-Ikhlas describes Allah as One; al-Falaq and an-Nas ask Allah for protection from every harm and whisper.
5Do it with a parent
Make it a bedtime routine together so it never gets skipped.
“Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 5017
Do this before next time
Do the three surahs into your hands tonight, three times, exactly as the hadith describes.
Lesson 4 · The word that cools you · ages 8-11
When anger rises
The Prophet ﷺ said he knew a word that would take away a furious man's anger: I seek refuge with Allah from shaytan.
1The hadith
Sulayman ibn Surad was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ when two men argued and one man's face went red with fury; the Prophet ﷺ said he knew a word that would relax him if he said it.
2The word
He ﷺ said the word is: I seek refuge with Allah from shaytan — then his anger would go away.
3The man refused
When someone repeated it to the angry man he said, am I mad? — the hadith honestly records that he did not take the advice.
4Anger is a push
Anger is the moment shaytan is closest; saying a'udhu billah interrupts the push.
5Allah praises it
Allah tells us to repel evil with what is better, and that those who restrain anger and pardon people are the ones He loves.
Wa laa tastawil hasanatu wa las saiyi'ah; idfa' billatee hiya ahsanu fa'izal lazee bainaka wa bainahoo 'adaawatun ka'annahoo waliyun hameem
“And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.”
“Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;”
“Sulaiman bin Surd said: while I was sitting in the company of the Prophet, two men abused each other and one man's face went red with anger. The Prophet said: I know a word, the saying of which will cause him to relax, if he does say it. If he says: 'I seek Refuge with Allah from Satan.' then all his anger will go away.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3282
Do this before next time
Agree on a signal with a parent: when you feel angry, you say a'udhu billah before you say anything else.
Lesson 5 · Nightfall sunnah · ages 8-11
Evening habits at home
At nightfall the Prophet ﷺ told families to keep children close, shut the doors and cover the food, mentioning Allah's name.
1The hadith
Jabir reported the Prophet ﷺ said when night falls keep your children close, for the devils spread out then; after an hour you may let them go.
2Close and cover
He ﷺ said close the gates of your house and mention Allah's name, and cover your utensils and mention Allah's name.
3Say Bismillah while you do it
The action is ordinary; what makes it worship is naming Allah as you do it.
4It is care, not fear
These are calm habits of a tidy, protected home — not something to frighten a child with.
5Night is a mercy
Allah made the night for rest and the day for seeking provision.
“[He is] the cleaver of daybreak and has made the night for rest and the sun and moon for calculation. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.”
“When nightfalls, then keep your children close to you, for the devil spread out then. An hour later you can let them free; and close the gates of your house (at night), and mention Allah's Name thereupon, and cover your utensils, and mention Allah's Name thereupon.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3280
Do this before next time
Tonight, be the one who closes the doors and covers the food, saying Bismillah each time.
Lesson 6 · Dhikr clears the room · ages 12-15
He runs from the adhan
When the call to prayer is made shaytan flees, and returns to distract only once it stops.
1The hadith
Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said when shaytan hears the call to prayer he turns back and flees, and when it finishes he returns to distract the one praying.
2And again at the iqamah
The same hadith says he runs again when he hears the iqamah, then comes back once it subsides.
3What that teaches
Distraction in salah is expected — noticing it and returning to the prayer is part of the work, not a failure.
4Dhikr is the tool
Allah says hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.
5Answer the call
When you hear the adhan, stop what you are doing and repeat it — you are joining the thing he flees from.
“O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.”
“When Satan hears the call to prayer, he turns back and breaks the wind so as not to hear the call being made, but when the call is finished he turns round and distracts (the minds of those who pray), and when he hears the Iqama, he again runs away so as not to hear its voice.”
Sahih Muslim 389a
Do this before next time
Repeat the adhan quietly after the muadhin at the next prayer instead of talking through it.
Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path
