One of the greatest types of Adhkar (invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis) which a Muslim is desirable to say every night when going to sleep is reciting Ayat-ul-Kursy (the Qur'anic Verse of Allah's Chair, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255) which is the greatest Ayah (Qur'anic verse) in the Glorious Qur'an. It was reported in the Sunnah a reference to the virtue of that Ayah and showing that the reward of the one who recites it when going to sleep is that Allah will send down an angle to protect him against Satan until the morning. Al Bukhari reported in his Sahih (book of authentic Hadiths) on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) deputed me to keep Sadaqat (Al Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Messenger! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him). He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go. In the morning Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Allah's Messenger! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "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. "So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end --- Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul-Qaiyum----.' He further said to me, '(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.' (Abu Hurayrah or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?" Abu Hurayrah said, "No." He said, "It was Satan." [Sahih Al Bukhari (No. 2311)].
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