What is said on waking from sleep?
Short answer
The adhkar on waking are recommended, and it is established that the Muslim praises Allah for giving him life after sleep, and other authentic adhkar are reported on waking at night.
Evidence and explanation
The Shaykh mentioned that the adhkar on waking are recommended, and mentioned a number of the formulas reported on waking, especially in the night prayer.
Scholar referenced
This editorial summary is based on the original source linked below and is not presented as a verbatim quotation from the scholar.
From the text of the answer (Arabic, with an English translation)
Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz
حكم أذكار الاستيقاظ من النوم وبعض صيغها ووقت أدائها — فتوى ٩٣٠٠- Question
«إحدى الأخوات من الريف بعثت برسالة تسأل فيها وتقول: عندما أستيقظ أقول بعض الأوراد من أدعية الاستيقاظ، ولكني لا أكملها كلها بسبب مشاغل البيت كترتيب المنزل ونحو ذلك، ومن ثم أتذكرها وأكملها، والسؤال: هل يجب أن أقولها كلها عند الاستيقاظ مباشرة أم ماذا؟ جزاكم الله خيرًا.»
English translation (unreviewed): One of the sisters from the countryside sent a letter asking and saying: When I wake I say some of the litanies of the waking supplications, but I do not complete all of them because of household chores such as tidying the house and the like, then I remember them and complete them. The question: Must I say them all immediately on waking or what? May Allah reward you.
- From the text of the answer
«مستحبة الأذكار والدعوات عند الاستيقاظ مستحبة وليست واجبة، والأفضل أن يقول عند الاستيقاظ: لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد، يحيي ويميت وهو حي لا يموت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، سبحان الله والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله.»
English translation (unreviewed): The adhkar and supplications on waking are recommended, not obligatory. It is best to say on waking: “La ilaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulk wa lahu al-hamd, yuhyi wa yumit wa huwa hayyun la yamut, biyadihi al-khayr, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir; Subhan Allah, al-hamdu lillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.”
- Evidence as the shaykh cited it
«ما ورد فكله حسن، ويقرأ أواخر سورة آل عمران إذا تيسر، كان النبي يقرؤها ﷺ: إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الأَلْبَابِ [آل عمران:١٩٠] إلى آخر السورة، عشر آيات إذا تيسر قراءتها فذلك أفضل، وليس بواجب، نعم.»
English translation (unreviewed): Whatever is reported is all good, and he recites the end of Surat Al 'Imran if it is easy; the Prophet ﷺ used to recite it: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding” [Al 'Imran: 190] to the end of the surah, ten verses; if it is easy to recite them, that is better, but it is not obligatory. Yes.
The Arabic excerpts matched the original page word for word by an automated check and have not had human scholarly review. The English translations are unreviewed translations made for this site; they are not an approved Shari‘ah translation. Rely on the Arabic original.
Source
Ruling on the adhkar of waking from sleep, some of their formulas and the time of saying them
Title of the original page (Arabic): حكم أذكار الاستيقاظ من النوم وبعض صيغها ووقت أدائها
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him