Good night
to a man
تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر
tuṣbiḥu ʿalā khayr
to a woman
تُصْبِحِينَ عَلَى خَيْر
tuṣbiḥīna ʿalā khayr
to a group
تُصْبِحُونَ عَلَى خَيْر
tuṣbiḥūna ʿalā khayr
Good night. Literally, may you wake up to goodness.
Good night in Arabic, tusbih ala khair
Good night in Arabic is tuṣbiḥu ʿalā khayr (تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر), "may you wake to goodness", to a man, and tuṣbiḥīna ʿalā khayr to a woman. Here is the reply, and the dua Muslims say before sleep.
Saying it to
Other ways to say it
Have a good night
لَيْلَة سَعِيدَة
layla saʿīda
A happy night. Said when parting in the evening.
Sleep well
نَوْمًا هَنِيئًا
nawman hanīʾan
Pleasant sleep.
How to reply
The replyReply
to a man
وَأَنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِه
wa anta min ahlih
to a woman
وَأَنْتِ مِنْ أَهْلِه
wa anti min ahlih
to a group
وَأَنْتُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِه
wa antum min ahlih
And may you be among its people (the people of goodness).
Modern Standard Arabic, with the vowel marks. Our teachers will check the Arabic and transliteration on this page before launch.
Guide
Good night in Arabic, meaning and use
To say good night in Arabic, say tuṣbiḥu ʿalā khayr (تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر) to a man, tuṣbiḥīna ʿalā khayr to a woman and tuṣbiḥūna ʿalā khayr to a group. The reply is wa anta min ahlih (to a man), wa anti min ahlih (to a woman) or wa antum min ahlih (to a group).
The forms at a glance
| Phrase | To a man | To a woman | To a group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good night | تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر tuṣbiḥu ʿalā khayr | تُصْبِحِينَ عَلَى خَيْر tuṣbiḥīna ʿalā khayr | تُصْبِحُونَ عَلَى خَيْر tuṣbiḥūna ʿalā khayr |
| The reply | وَأَنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِه wa anta min ahlih | وَأَنْتِ مِنْ أَهْلِه wa anti min ahlih | وَأَنْتُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِه wa antum min ahlih |
What it means
Arabic does not wish you a good night so much as a good morning after it: tuṣbiḥu means "you wake up into the morning", and ʿalā khayr means "upon goodness". The reply, wa anta min ahlih, means "and may you be one of its people", one of the people of goodness.
Other night phrases
- Layla saʿīda: have a good night, when you part in the evening.
- Nawman hanīʾan: sleep well.
- Masāʾ al-khayr: good evening, when you meet someone after midday. See good morning in Arabic.
A Muslim good night
Before sleeping, the Prophet ﷺ would say: bismika-llāhumma amūtu wa aḥyā, "In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6324). Sleep is called a small death in the Quran (39:42), which is why the dua on waking thanks Allah for giving life back. The full set of bedtime duas is on the dua before sleeping.
When friends part at night, many Muslims say fī amānillāh, "in Allah's protection", and give the salam.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6324, from Hudhayfah.
- Quran 39:42, on sleep.
Questions
Good to know
How do you say good night in Arabic?
Tusbihu ala khair (تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر) to a man, tusbihina ala khair to a woman, and tusbihuna ala khair to a group.
What is the reply to tusbih ala khair?
Wa anta min ahlih (to a man), wa anti min ahlih (to a woman): and may you be among the people of goodness.
How do you say sleep well in Arabic?
Nawman hani'an (نَوْمًا هَنِيئًا): pleasant sleep.
What do Muslims say before sleeping?
Bismika-llahumma amutu wa ahya: in Your name, O Allah, I die and I live (Bukhari 6324).