Last 2 Ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285–286): Arabic, Meaning and Virtues
The last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285–286) in Arabic with English meaning, what they say, the authentic hadith about reciting them at night, and the last three ayat (2:284–286).
Last updated: 2026-10-09
The last two ayahs of Surah Al-Baqarah (2) — ayahs 285 and 286 — are among the most often recited passages of the Quran. Many Muslims read them every night before sleeping. They close the longest surah of the Quran (286 ayahs) with a statement of faith and a supplication that asks God for ease, pardon and help.
The last two ayat in Arabic with English meaning
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدࣲ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦۚ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَاۖ غُفۡرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ٢٨٥ لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرࣰا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٢٨٦ 2:285The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination
2:286Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people
What the two ayahs say
Ayah 285 describes the faith of the Messenger and the believers: belief in God, His angels, His books and His messengers, without making a distinction between any of the messengers. It records the believers’ answer — “we hear and we obey” — and their request for forgiveness, ending with the reminder that the return is to God.
Ayah 286 begins with a principle quoted constantly in Muslim life: God does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear. Each person receives the good they earn and bears the wrong they commit. The rest of the ayah is a supplication in the plural — “our Lord” — asking God not to hold believers to account for forgetting or making mistakes, not to lay on them a burden like the one laid on those before them, not to burden them beyond their strength, and to pardon, forgive and have mercy on them, and to help them.
Why they were revealed
Sahih Muslim reports that when the ayah before them (2:284) was revealed — saying that God will call people to account for what is in their hearts, whether they show it or hide it — the companions found it very hard and came to the Prophet. He told them to say “we hear and we obey”. When they did, God revealed ayah 285, praising their response, and then ayah 286 with its principle that no soul is burdened beyond its capacity. The same report says that after each request in the closing supplication, God answered that He had granted it.
The virtues mentioned in authentic hadith
- They suffice the one who reads them at night. Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari reported that the Prophet said that whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). Scholars explained “suffice” in several ways: that they protect from harm that night, that they suffice in place of longer night prayer, or both.
- A light given to the Prophet. Ibn Abbas reported that an angel told the Prophet of two lights given to him that had not been given to any prophet before: Al-Fatihah and the closing verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (Sahih Muslim).
- Given on the Night Journey. A report in Sahih Muslim lists the closing verses of Al-Baqarah among the things given to the Prophet during the Mi’raj.
When and how people read them
Because the hadith mentions the night, the most common practice is to read both ayahs after the evening (Isha) prayer or in bed before sleeping. Nothing restricts them to the night, and many people also use the supplication of ayah 286 in their own prayers. They are short enough to memorise in a few days: learn ayah 285 first, then the supplication in ayah 286 phrase by phrase, listening to a recitation as you go (see how to memorise the Quran).
The last three ayat (2:284–286)
Some people speak of the “last three ayat” of Al-Baqarah, adding ayah 284 — the ayah whose revelation led to the final two. Here it is with its meaning:
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَإِن تُبۡدُواْ مَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوۡ تُخۡفُوهُ يُحَاسِبۡكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُۖ فَيَغۡفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ قَدِيرٌ ٢٨٤ 2:284To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent
The hadith about reciting at night speaks of the last two verses, so 285–286 are the ones meant when the virtue is mentioned.
Read the whole surah or make a video
The full Arabic text of Al-Baqarah with its English meaning is on the surah page (ayahs 2:285–286). To share these two ayahs, create a short Quran video with a recitation and the verified text on screen.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the last two ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah?
- They are ayahs 285 and 286 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second and longest surah of the Quran. The first describes the faith of the Prophet and the believers; the second ends with a well-known supplication.
- What is the virtue of reading them?
- Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him. Sahih Muslim also describes them, with Al-Fatihah, as a light given to the Prophet.
- When should they be read?
- The hadith mentions the night, so many Muslims recite them after the evening prayer or before sleeping. They can be read at any time.
- What about the last three ayat?
- Some people also include ayah 284. Sahih Muslim reports that ayah 284 worried the companions, and that ayahs 285 and 286 were revealed after it.
This article explains common understanding and history for general readers; it is not a religious ruling. For questions of practice, consult a qualified scholar. See the disclaimer.
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