Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum
O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining — the Sufi zikr of vitality, healing, and renewal.
Original
Transliteration
Yā Ḥayy Yā Qayyūm
Translation
O Ever-Living One, O Self-Subsisting Sustainer of all.
Quick answer
Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum means 'O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining.' It is the Sufi zikr of healing and renewal, chanted for vitality, recovery, and strength in exhaustion.
- Tradition
- Sufi Zikr
- Language
- Arabic
- Repetitions
- 100 or 313 times; some traditions recommend 1,000 for the seriously ill.
- Best time
- Early morning for vitality through the day; also at any moment of weakness or illness.
- Best for
- Healing and recovery, Renewing energy, Times of exhaustion or grief
Line by line
Yā Ḥayy
O Living One — the source of all life and vitality.
Yā Qayyūm
O Self-Subsisting — the one who sustains everything without needing support.
Meaning
Literal
An invocation of two of the ninety-nine divine names: Al-Hayy, the Ever-Living, and Al-Qayyum, the Self-Subsisting Sustainer.
Spiritual interpretation
Sufis turn to this zikr in exhaustion, illness, and spiritual dryness. It asks that the life which sustains the universe also sustain this small life — not as a request for rescue, but as a remembrance that one's own vitality was never self-generated.
What this mantra is used for
How to chant
Chant clearly and steadily, one phrase per breath, often with a hand resting over the heart. Practitioners repeat it in sets of 100, especially in the morning, and frequently on behalf of someone who is ill.
When to chant
Early morning for vitality through the day; also at any moment of weakness or illness.
Traditional count: 100 or 313 times; some traditions recommend 1,000 for the seriously ill.
Origin & context
Both names appear in the Qur'an, notably in Ayat al-Kursi (2:255) and 3:2. Widely prescribed as a healing zikr across Sufi orders and in classical Islamic devotional literature.
Related mantras
La ilaha illallah
There is no god but God — the central Sufi zikr of divine unity and the heart of Islamic remembrance.
Hasbi Rabbi Jallallah
My Lord is enough for me — a Sufi zikr of trust, surrender, and release from worry.
Allah Hu
God — He, the Absolute. The breath-zikr in which the name of God dissolves into pure presence.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Ya Hayy Ya Qayyum used for?+
It is traditionally chanted for healing, renewed vitality, and strength during illness, grief, or exhaustion.
What do the two names mean?+
Al-Hayy is the Ever-Living, the source of life; Al-Qayyum is the Self-Subsisting, who sustains all existence.
How often should it be repeated?+
Commonly 100 or 313 times, often in the morning and often on behalf of someone who is unwell.