What is Ayat al-Kursi and why is it recited so often?

Ayat al-Kursi (2:255) is the single verse most Muslims memorise first after the short surahs, and for good reason — it describes Allah's Kursi (His Throne of dominion), His eternal life, His complete knowledge, and His power over the heavens and earth in words of extraordinary majesty. The Prophet described it as the greatest verse in the Quran. Its virtue is not only in its meaning but in its protective power: in one well-known account, Abu Hurairah caught a thief stealing from the Ramadan charity stores three nights in a row; the thief begged for release and taught him to recite Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping, promising that a guardian from Allah would stay with him and no shaytan would come near until morning. When Abu Hurairah told the Prophet, he confirmed, 'He told you the truth, though he is a liar — that was a shaytan' (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311). Because of this, many Muslims recite Ayat al-Kursi after each prayer and before sleeping, treating it as a source of protection, tranquility, and a direct declaration of Allah's oneness and greatness.

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