Ayat al-Kursi
Ayat al-Kursi (2:255) on its own, ready to play, with what the hadith says about reciting it before sleep and after the prayer.
That recording would not load from the CDN. Open it on the surah page.
Ayat al-Kursi is one verse, Quran 2:255, and it takes about one minute to recite. It is the most emphasised single verse in the daily practice of most Muslims, and the reports about it are among the clearest in the whole body of hadith.
Two occasions are specifically established. First, before sleep: whoever recites it when going to bed has a protector from Allah with him and no shaytan comes near until morning (Bukhari 2311). Second, after each obligatory prayer, where it is reported that nothing stands between the reciter and Paradise except death (an-Nasa’i).
The player on this page is the verse alone — not the whole of Al-Baqarah, which is what most sites give you when you search for it.
What to recite
Why this verse
Ayat al-Kursi is a statement about Allah’s knowledge, authority and self-sufficiency, in a single continuous sentence. Its length and its subject are what make it memorable and what made it the verse people return to at the moments they feel exposed.
What the sources actually say
Before sleep
Bukhari 2311: "When you go to bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi. A protector from Allah will remain with you and no shaytan will come near you until morning."
After the prayer
An-Nasa’i and others report that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing prevents him from entering Paradise except death. Scholars have graded the report as acceptable for this purpose.
Questions
Where is Ayat al-Kursi in the Quran?
It is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second surah, so its reference is 2:255. It is a single verse and it is not at the start of the surah.
How long is it?
About a minute to recite at a measured pace. It is the longest single verse in the Quran by word count.
Can I just play the verse, or do I need to recite it?
Reciting it yourself is the practice described in the hadith. Playing it is a way to learn it and to listen, and it is better than skipping it. If you are learning, listen to it a few times and then recite along.
Is it enough on its own before sleeping?
It is the part most emphasised and it is what you should do if you can only manage one thing. The full practice adds the last two verses of Al-Baqarah and Surah Al-Mulk.