The Qur'aan and its Sciences
Virtues of Qur'aan
22722: Ruling on gathering to
make du'aa' and recite Qur'aan
Question:
In the Muslim community on our campus, there
arose a controversy on issue of coming together
on a set date to make dua'h (supplications),
therein the whole Quran is recited(leaflets of
the Quran are distributed and read
simultaneously) and supplications made, for such
reasons as; success in examination and beginning
of semester exam.
We want to ask if such prayers is established
in the Shareeah of Islam. It will be appreciated
if your responce is backed by Quran, Sunnah and
Ijmaa of the salaf.
Your Fatwa, backed with
the requested evidences, will Insha Allah bring
to rest the controversy.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The ruling on gathering to recite Qur'aan,
whereby each of the people present takes a juz'
(part) of the Qur'aan at the same time, so that
each of them can complete the juz' that he has.
The answer to this is what was stated in a
fatwa of the Standing Committee (2/480), which
was as follows:
Firstly: gathering to recite and study the
Qur'aan, whereby one of them recites and the
others listen, and they study it together and
explain the meanings, is something that is
prescribed in Islam and is an act of worship
that Allaah loves and for which He rewards
greatly. It was narrated by Muslim in his
Saheeh and by Abu Dawood from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "No people gather in one of the
houses of Allaah, reciting the Book of Allaah
and studying it together, but tranquillity
descends upon them and mercy encompasses them,
and the angels surround them, and Allaah
mentions them to those who are with Him."
It is also prescribed to recite du'aa' upon
completing the Qur'aan, but not every single
time, and there is no specific form of du'aa'
which is to be followed as if it were a Sunnah,
because none of that has been proven from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him); rather this is something that some of the
Sahaabah did (may Allaah be pleased with them).
Similarly there is nothing wrong with
inviting those who attended the recitation to a
meal, so long as that is not taken as a habit
after every reading.
Secondly:
Giving ajza' (parts) of the Qur'aan to those
who attend the gathering so that each of them
may read a part of the Qur'aan by himself is not
regarded as meaning that each of them has
completed the Qur'aan.
Their intention of reading Qur'aan for the
purpose of seeking blessing is not enough,
because the purpose of reading Qur'aan is to
draw closer to Allaah and to memorize Qur'aan,
ponder its meanings, understand its rulings,
learn lessons from it, earn reward and make
one's tongue get used to reciting it, etc. And
Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah
send blessings and peace upon our Prophet
Muhammad and upon his family and companions."
Thirdly:
There is no evidence to support the belief
that this action (gathering to read Qur'aan in
the manner mentioned) will have the effect of
bringing a response to du'aa', therefore it is
not prescribed. There are many well-known means
of seeking an answer to du'aa's. just as there
are many well-known impediments to receiving a
response. The person who is making du'aa' should
pursue the means of receiving a response and
avoid the impediments, and he should think well
of his Lord, because Allaah is as His slave
thinks He is.
See also question no. 5113.
Note: Evidence is required of the one who
claims that something is prescribed in Islam,
otherwise the basic principle with regard to
acts of worship is that they are not allowed
unless there is proven evidence that they are
prescribed. Based on this, the evidence that
this belief is not prescribed is the fact that
there is no evidence to suggest that it is
permitted.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com) 20803: Reward for memorizing
Qur'aan
Question:
What is the reward for becoming a Haafiz?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever memorizes Qur'aan and acts upon it,
Allaah will reward him and honour him greatly
for that, so that he will rise in status in
Paradise to a level commensurate with what he
memorized of the Book of Allaah.
Al-Tirmidhi (2914) and Abu Dawood (1464)
narrated from `Abd-Allaah ibn `Amr that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "It will be said to the companion of
the Qur'aan: Recite and rise in status, recite
as you used to recite in the world, for your
status will be at the last verse that you
recite." This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah,
5/218, no. 2240, after which he said:
Note that what is meant by the "companion of
the Qur'aan" is the one who memorizes it by
heart, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, "The one who knows
more Qur'aan should lead the people in prayer,"
meaning the one who has memorized the most. The
differentiation in status in Paradise will
depend on how much was memorized in this world,
not how much one will recite on that day as some
people imagine. This clearly points to the
virtue of the hafiz who has memorized the
Qur'aan, but that is subject to the condition
that he memorizes it for the sake of Allaah, not
for worldly purposes or financial gain.
Otherwise the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Most of the
hypocrites of my ummah are among those who have
memorized Qur'aan."
Concerning the virtue of the hafiz who
memorizes the Qur'aan, al-Bukhaari (4937)
narrated from `Aa'ishah that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
likeness of the one who reads Qur'aan and
memorizes it is that he is with the righteous
honourable scribes. The likeness of the one who
reads it and tries hard to memorize it even
though it is difficult for him, he will have two
rewards."
For the hafiz who has memorized the Qur'aan,
praying qiyaam al-layl is easy. And the Qur'aan
will intercede for him on the Day of
Resurrection, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Fasting
and the Qur'aan will intercede for a person on
the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, `O
Lord, I deprived him of food and desires during
the day, so let me intercede for him.' The
Qur'aan will say, `O Lord I deprived him of his
sleep at night, so let me intercede for him.'
Then they will both intercede for him." Narrated
by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani and al-Haakim; classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami',
no. 3882
And Allaah knows best.
It should be noted here that there is a weak
(da'eef) hadeeth that is quoted
concerning the virtue of memorizing Qur'aan.
This hadeeth says, "The bearer of the Qur'aan,
if he regards what it permits as halaal and what
it forbids as haraam, he will intercede for ten
of his family members on the Day of
Resurrection, all of whom deserved to enter
Hell." This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in
Shu'ab al-Eemaan (The Branches of Faith)
from Jaabir; it was classed as da'eef by
al-Albaani in Da'eef al-Jaami'.
Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6460: Memorizing Qur'aan and
the virtue of some soorahs
Question:
Can you please state some of the benefits of
reading the following Soorahs with references to
Hadith.
Soorah Naba , Soorah Al-Waqiah ,
Soorah Yaseen , Soorah Mulk
I am in my mid-thirties and am trying to
memorize the Qur'an as much as possible. Which
Soorahs should I start with? and is it okay to
recite the part learnt in Nafil Salaat. What
should I do if I make a mistake while reciting
or forget after reciting several ayahs.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
With regard to the virtues of Soorat al-Naba'
and the reward for reading it, we do not know of
anything that applies specifically to this
soorah apart for what is known about the rest of
the Qur'aan; there is nothing special about this
soorah as it were, apart from what we know that
whoever reads one letter of the Qur'aan will
have one good deed is recorded for him.
`Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whoever reads one letter from the
Book of Allaah will earn one good (hasanah)
thereby. One good deed is equal to ten good
deeds the like of it. I do not say that
Alif-Lam-Mim is a letter, but Alif
is a letter, Laam is a letter and
Meem is a letter.'"
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2910; classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi, 2327
But it was narrated that it is one of the
soorahs containing warnings that were very
difficult for the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It was narrated from Ibn `Abbaas that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Hood, al-Waaqi'ah, al-Mursalaat,
`Amma yatsaa'iloon [al-Naba'] and Idha
al-`shamsu kuwwirat [al-Takweer] have made
my hair grey."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3297. classed as
saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani, al-Saheehah,
955)
With regard to the virtues of Soorat
al-Waaqi'ah, there is a hadeeth which speaks of
its virtues, but that hadeeth is not saheeh.
It was narrated from Shujaa' from Abi
Faatimah that `Uthmaan ibn `Affaan (may Allaah
be pleased with him) visited Ibn Mas'ood when he
was sick. He said, "What is hurting?" He said,
"My sins." He said, "What do you need?" He said,
"The mercy of my Lord." He said, "Shall we not
call the doctor for you?" He said, "The doctor
made me ill." He said, "Shall I order that your
regular income [from the state] be restored to
you?" He said, "You did not let me have it
before today and I have no need of it now." He
said, `Then leave it to your family and
dependents." He said, "I have taught them
something which, if they say it, they will never
become poor. I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say,
`Whoever recites al-Waaqi'ah every night will
never become poor."
(Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab
al-Eemaan, 2/491. This hadeeth was classed
as da'eef by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah
al-Da'eefah, 289).
With regard to the virtues of Soorah Ya-Seen,
there are ahaadeeth concerning its virtues which
are not saheeh.
It was narrated that Anas said: "The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: `Everything has a heart and the heart of
the Qur'aan is Ya-Seen. Whoever recites Ya-Seen,
Allaah will record for him the reward of reading
the Qur'aan ten times.'"
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2887. He said, It
is not saheeh because of its isnaad, and its
isnaad is da'eef (weak). Al-Albaani said
in al-Da'eefah (169): (it is)
mawdoo' (fabricated)).
The same applies to the hadeeth narrated from
Abu Hurayrah, which says that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Allaah recited Ta-Ha and Ya-Seen one
thousand years before He created the heavens and
the earth. When the angels heard the Qur'aan
they said, `Glad tidings to the nation to whom
this will be revealed, and glad tidings to the
hearts that will bear this, and glad tidings to
the tongues that will speak these words.'"
(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3280. al-Albaani
said in al-Da'eefah (1248): (it is)
munkar (a form of da'eef or weak hadeeth)).
And the same may be said of the hadeeth
narrated from Ma'qal ibn Yassaar, which says:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Recite Ya-Seen over your dead."
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3121; Ibn Maajah,
1448. Shaykh al-Albaani said: With regard to
reciting Soorat Ya-Seen over the deceased and
turning him to face the qiblah, there is no
saheeh hadeeth to this effect. Ahkaam
al-Janaa'iz, p. 11)
And the same may be said of the hadeeth of
Anas ibn Maalik according to which the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whoever enters the graveyard and
recites Soorat Yaa-Seen, (the torment) will be
reduced for them that day, and he will have
hasanaat equivalent to the number of people in
the graveyard."
Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Da'eefah
(1246): It is mawdoo' (fabricated). It
was narrated by al-Tha'labi in his Tafseer
(3/161/2)
With regard to Soorat al-Mulk, there are
saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of its virtues:
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "There is a soorah of the Qur'aan
containing thirty verses which have interceded
for a man until he was forgiven. It is the
soorah Tabaarak alladhi bi
yadihi'l-mulk."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Ahmad, 7634;
Abu Dawood, 1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786. This hadeeth
was classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi and by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 3/6.
Another hadeeth which speaks of its virtues
was narrated from Jaabir, that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
never used to sleep until he had recited
Alif-laam-meem tanzeel [al-Sajdah] and
Tabaarak alladhi bi yadihi'l-mulk
[al-Mulk].
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2892; Ahmad, 14249.
Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi
(3/6) that this hadeeth is saheeh.
Secondly:
There is no set way to memorize Qur'aan.
People vary in their ability to commit things to
memory; each person has a way and a time that
suits him.
Some people like to read and memorize after
Fajr prayer; some like to do so after Maghrib.
So look at your own situation and do what is
best for you.
Some people find the short Makkan soorahs
easier, and some find the long Madeenan soorahs
easier, so start with whichever is easier for
you.
You could start with the soorahs which are
often heard and are easy to memorize, such as
al-Kahf and Maryam, and the later juz' (parts)
of the Qur'aan. This will give you a motive to
complete your memorization, when you find that
you have memorized many juz'.
One of the most important means of
consolidating what you have memorized and not
forgetting it is to repeat it and go back to it
all the time. Some people who have tried to
memorize the Qur'aan recite it as they walk in
the street and when riding buses, when going
into shops and marketplaces, and in all
circumstances and at all times, night and day.
Acting upon what you have learned of the
verses of Allaah is one of the best means of
memorizing the Qur'aan by heart.
It was narrated that Abu `Abd al-Rahmaan
said: The companions of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) who used to
teach us Qur'aan told us that they would learn
ten verses, then they would not move on to the
next ten verses until they had learned the
knowledge contained therein and how to act upon
it. They said, So we learnedt he knowledge and
how to put it into practice.
Ahmad, 22384
What is well known and has been tried and
tested by people is that the best way to
memorize Qur'aan is to repeat it in prayers such
as Sunnah and naafil prayers, etc _ or in the
fard prayers for the imam } _ especially in
Qiyaam al-Layl (naafil prayers at night). There
is nothing wrong with reciting the juz' which
you are learning in naafil prayers.
But if you forget some part of the Qur'aan
when you are praying, try to remember it until
you feel that you will not be able to remember
it, then there is nothing wrong with moving on
from the part that you cannot remember, to the
following part that you can remember. When you
finish you prayer, go to the Mus-haf and review
the part that you had forgotten. And Allaah
knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 10700: When is the time for
reciting Soorat al-Kahf on Friday?
Question:
According to the Sunna, when is the correct
time to recite surat Al Kahf on Friday? Should
be recited after Fajr and before Jumaa Prayer or
anytime on Friday? Also, is it from the Sunna to
recite Surat Al-Imran on Friday? And if so, when
is the correct time to do so?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There are saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
concerning the virtues of reciting Soorat
al-Kahf during the day or night of Jumu'ah
(Friday). These include:
(a) From Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri, who said:
"Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on the
night of Jumu'ah, will have a light that will
stretch between him and the Ancient House (the
Ka'bah)."
(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3407. This hadeeth
was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami, 6471)
(b) "Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf on
the day of Jumu'ah, will have a light that will
shine from him from one Friday to the next."
(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi,
3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej
al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadeeth, and
he said, this is the strongest report that has
been narrated concerning reading Soorat
al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198.
It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami', 6470)
(c) It was narrated that Ibn `Umar (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: `Whoever reads Soorat al-Kahf
on the day of Jumu'ah, a light will shine for
him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the
sky, which will shine for him on the Day of
Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins)
between the two Fridays.'"
Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu
Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with
an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.
(al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb, 1/298)
The soorah may be read during the night or
the day of Jumu'ah. The night of Jumu'ah starts
from sunset on Thursday, and the day of Jumu'ah
ends at sunset. Therefore the time for reading
this soorah extends from sunset on Thursday to
sunset on Friday.
Al-Mannaawi said:
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in his
Amaali: "In some reports it says `the day
of Jumu'ah' and in some reports it says `the
night of Jumu'ah'. They may be reconciled by
saying that what is meant is the day which
includes the night and vice versa." (Fayd
al-Qadeer, 6/199)
Al-Mannaawi also said:
"It is recommended to read it during the day
or night of Jumu'ah, as al-Shaafa'i (may Allaah
have mercy on him) stated." (Fayd
al-Qadeer, 6/198)
There are no saheeh ahaadeeth concerning
reading Soorat Aal `Imraan on Friday. All
the reports that have been narrated concerning
that are either da'eef jiddan (very weak)
or mawdoo' (fabricated).
It was narrated that Ibn `Abbaas said: "The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: `Whoever recites the soorah in which
the family of `Imraan (Aal `Imraan) are
mentioned on Fridays, Allaah and His angels will
send blessings upon him until the sun sets.'"
(Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu'jam
al-Awsat, 6/191; and al-Kabeer,
11/48. This hadeeth is da'eef jiddan
(very weak) or mawdoo' (fabricated)).
Al-Haythami said, "This was narrated by
al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat or
al-Kabeer, and it [its isnaad] includes
Talhah ibn Zayd al-Riqqi, who is da'eef
(jiddan) ((very) weak)." (Majma'
al-Zawaa'id, 2/168).
Ibn Hajar said: Talhah is very weak, and
Ahmad and Abu Dawood accused him of fabricating
reports. (See Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/199)
Shaykh al-Albaani said: (it is)
mawdoo' (fabricated). See hadeeth no.
5759 in Da'eef al-Jaami'.
And al-Taymi narrated in al-Targheeb
that "Whoever recites Soorat al-Baqarah
and Soorat Aal `Imraan on the night of
Jumu'ah will have reward like that which is
between the seventh earth and the seventh
heaven."
Al-Mannaawi said, it is ghareeb da'eef
jiddan (strange and very weak).(Fayd
al-Qadeer, 6/199)
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 26240: Reading Soorat al-Mulk
protects one from the torment of the grave
Question:
Reading Surat al-Mulk protects a Muslim from
the trials of the grave, but how often does one
have to read it? Once a day or more?.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "A soorah from the Qur'aan containing
thirty verses will intercede for a man so that
he will be forgiven. It is the soorah
Tabaarak allaahi bi yadihi'l-mulk [i.e.,
Soorat al-Mulk]."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2891; Abu Dawood,
1400; Ibn Maajah, 3786.
Al-Tirmidhi said, this is a hasan hadeeth. It
was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah in Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 22/277,
and by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn
Maajah, 3053.
What is meant is that a person should read it
every night, act in accordance with the rulings
contained in it, and believe in the information
mentioned in it.
It was narrated that `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood
said: Whoever reads Tabaarak allaahi bi
yadihi'l-mulk [i.e., Soorat al-Mulk] every
night, Allaah will protect him from the torment
of the grave. At the time of the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) we used to call it al-maani'ah (that
which protects). In the Book of Allaah it is a
soorah which, whoever recites it every night has
done very well.
Narrated by al-Nasaa'i, 6/179; classed as
hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb
wa'l-Tarheeb, 1475.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
One this basis there is the hope that whoever
believes in this soorah and reads it regularly,
seeking the pleasure of Allaah, learning the
lessons contained in it and acting in accordance
with the rulings contained therein, it will
intercede for him [in the Hereafter].
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 4/334,
335
And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A
(www.islam-qa.com) 22366: Reciting Soorat
al-Ikhlaas 10,000 times for a sick person
Question:
I have a question related to a sick person
who has found out that they have cancer. the
family wishes to do a khatum(adults will gather
and in silence they read the surah Iklas over
and over hoping to read it 10,000 times, the
niyat is for the sick individual to recover). Is
this permissible, or should they just pray to
Allah SWT for help individually?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly in the Qur'aan there is healing
for mankind; and it was narrated that in certain
verses and soorahs there is healing and
protection for man, and that they can ward off
bad things, by Allaah's leave, such as
al-Faatihah, al-Mi'wadhatayn, Aayat al-Kursiy
and Soorat al-Ikhlaas. Whoever recites some
aayahs or soorahs, and repeats them three or
seven times, as needed, without persisting in a
specific number that was not referred to in
sharee'ah, then there is no reason why he should
not do that, so long as he believes that healing
is in the Hand of Allaah Who has created in the
Qur'aan healing for mankind.
To that may be added ruqyah using du'aa's
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), such as the words,
"Adhhib al-ba's Rabb an-naas, wa'shfi anta
al-Shaafi, laa shifaa'a illa shifaa'uka shifaa'
laa yughaadir saqaman (Take away the pain, O
Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are
the Healer, and there is no healing but Your
healing that leaves no trace of sickness)."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5243; Muslim, 4061)
And one may do as the great Sahaabi advised,
when someone who was suffering pain complained
to him. He said: "Put your hand on the part of
your body that is hurting and say, "Bismillaah"
three times, then say seven times, `A'oodhu
Billaahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa
uhaadhir (I seek refuge with Allaah and His
Power from the evil of what I am suffering from
and what I am worried about)." If one does that,
and recites other du'aa's that have been
narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) in saheeh reports, that
will be very good.
If trust in Allaah is combined with thinking
of the meanings of the verses and du'aa's that
are being recited, and both the one who is doing
ruqya and the one for whom it is done are
righteous people, that will be very beneficial,
if Allaah wills.
Based on the above, gathering in the manner
mentioned in the question and reciting "Qul
huwa Allaahu ahad" a certain number of times
(10,000 times) is not something which is
prescribed in Islam, so you should be content
with doing that which is narrated in the Sunnah.
We ask Allaah to heal your sick loved one
quickly, and to grant him good health. Ameen.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 14100: al-Zahrawaan
Question:
what are the two surhas that have been
called"as-zahrawan"?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. These two soorahs are
al-Baqarah and Aal `Imraan.
It was proven in a hadeeth narrated by Imaam
Muslim (may Allaah have mercy on him) that Abu
Umaamah al-Baahili said: "I heard the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) say: `Read the Qur'aan, for it will come on
the Day of Resurrection to intercede for its
companions [those who read it]. Read
al-Zahrawaan (the two bright ones), al-Baqarah
and Aal `Imraan, for they will come on the Day
of Resurrection like two clouds or like two
shades or two flocks of birds spreading their
wings, pleading for those who recite them.
Recite Soorat al-Baqarah, for taking recourse to
it is a blessing and giving it up is a cause of
loss, and the magicians cannot confront it."
(Salaat al-Musaafireen, 1337).
Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Saheeh
Muslim: they said, they are called
al-Zahrawaan (the two bright ones) because of
their light and guidance, and the greatness of
their reward.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 10197: The Holy Qur'aan
Question:
What is the Qur'aan?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The Qur'aan is the word of the Lord of the
Worlds, which Allaah revealed to His Messenger
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), to bring mankind forth from darkness into
light:
"It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations, etc.) to His slave (Muhammad) that
He may bring you out from darkness into light
[al-Hadeed 57:9 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
Allaah has told us in the Qur'aan the stories
of the earlier and later generations and the
creation of the heavens and the earth. He has
explained in detail what is halaal and what is
haraam, the basics of good manners and morals,
the rulings of worship and dealings with others,
the lives of the Prophets and the righteous, and
the reward and punishment of the believers and
disbelievers. He has described Paradise, the
abode of the believers, and He has described
Hell, the abode of the disbelievers. He has made
it (the Qur'aan) an explanation of all things:
"And We have sent down to you the Book (the
Qur'aan) as an exposition of everything, a
guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those
who have submitted themselves (to Allaah as
Muslims)"
[al-Nahl 16:89 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Qur'aan explains the names and attributes
of Allaah and what He has created. It calls us
to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His
Messengers and the Last Day:
"The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what
has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so
do) the believers. Each one believes in Allaah,
His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They
say,) `We make no distinction between one
another of His Messengers' — and they say, `We
hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness,
our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)'"
[al-Baqarah 2:285 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Qur'aan describes the Day of Judgement
and what will happen after death _ the
resurrection, the gathering, the judgement and
being brought to account. It describes the
Cistern, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the
Balance [in which deeds will be weighed], the
blessings and torment, and the gathering of
mankind on that great Day:
"Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the
right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will
gather you together on the Day of Resurrection
about which there is no doubt. And who is truer
in statement than Allaah?
[al-Nisaa' 4:87 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Qur'aan calls us to examine and ponder
the signs of Allaah in the universe and the
verses of the Qur'aan:
"Say: `Behold all that is in the heavens and
the earth'"
[Yoonus 10:101 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
"Do they not then think deeply in the
Qur'aan, or are their hearts locked up (from
understanding it)?"
[Muhammad 47:24 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Qur'aan is the Book of Allaah for all of
mankind:
"Verily, We have sent down to you (O
Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'aan) for mankind in
truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is
only for his ownself; and whosoever goes astray,
he goes astray only for his (own) loss. And you
(O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee or
disposer of affairs, or guardian) over
them"[al-Zumar 39:41 _ interpretation of the
meaning]
The Qur'aan confirms the Books which came
before it, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel
(Gospel), and it is a witness over them, as
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad)
the Book (this Qur'aan) in truth, confirming the
Scripture that came before it and Muhaymin
(trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it
(old Scriptures)"[al-Maa'idah 5:48]
After the Qur'aan was revealed, it became the
Book for all of mankind until the Hour begins.
Whoever does not believe in it is a kaafir who
will be punished with torment on the Day of
Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"But those who reject Our Ayaat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.), the torment will touch them for their
disbelief (and for their belying the Message of
Muhammad)"[al-An'aam 6:49]
Because of the greatness of the Qur'aan and
the signs, miracles, parables and lessons
contained therein, in addition to its eloquence
and beautiful style, Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain,
you would surely have seen it humbling itself
and rent asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are
the parables which We put forward to mankind
that they may reflect"[al-Hashr 58:21]
Allaah has challenged mankind and the jinn to
produce something like it, even one soorah or
one aayah, but they could not do that and will
never be able to do that, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: `If the mankind and the jinn were
together to produce the like of this Qur'aan,
they could not produce the like thereof, even if
they helped one another'"[al-Israa' 17:88]
Because the Qur'aan is the greatest of the
heavenly Books, the most complete, the most
perfect and the last of them, Allaah commanded
His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to convey it to all of
mankind, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the
Message) which has been sent down to you from
your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not
conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you
from mankind" [al-Maa'idah 5:67]
Because of the importance of this book and
the ummah's need for it, Allaah has honoured us
with it. He sent it down to us and has
guaranteed to preserve it. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the
Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'aan) and surely, We will
guard it (from corruption)" [al-Hijr 15:9]
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh
Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri
(www.islam-qa.com) 6092: Aayat al-Kursiy
Question:
what is the significance of surah II and ayat
255? is there any proof of the greatness of this
surah?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said in his Tafseer of Aayat
al-Kursiy from Soorat al-Baqarah:
This is Aayat al-Kursiy, which has a
high status. It was reported in a saheeh hadeeth
from the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) that it is the greatest
aayah in the Book of Allaah… It was narrated
from Ubayy, i.e., Ubayy ibn Ka'b that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) asked him which aayah in the Book of Allaah
was the greatest. He said, "Allaah and His
Messenger know best." He repeated it several
times, then he said, "Aayat al-Kursiy."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, "Congratulations upon your
knowledge O Abu'l-Mundhir. By the One in Whose
hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips,
and it glorifies the Sovereign (i.e., Allaah) at
the foot of the Throne." This was also narrated
by Muslim, without the phrase "By the One in
Whose hand is my soul…".
It was narrated from `Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy
ibn Ka'b that his father told him that he had a
vessel in which he kept dates. He used to check
on it and found that the number was decreasing.
So he kept guard on it one night and saw a beast
that looked like an adolescent boy. He said: "I
greeted him with salaams and he returned my
greeting, then I asked him, `What are you, a
jinn or a human?' He said, `A jinn.' I said to
him, `Show me your hand.' So he showed me his
hand, and it looked like a dog's paw with dog's
fur. I said, `Do all the jinn look like this?'
He said, `I know no one among the jinn who is
stronger than I.' I said, `What made you do what
you did [i.e., taking the dates]?' He said, `We
heard that you are a man who loves charity, and
we wanted to have some of your food.'" Ubayy
asked him, "What will protect us from you?" He
said, "This aayah, Aayat al-Kursiy." Then
the next day he [Ubayy] went to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
told him (about what had happened) and he said,
"The evil one spoke the truth."…
Imaam Ahmad narrated: Muhammad ibn Ja'far
told us, `Uthmaan ibn `Itaab told us, he said: I
heard Abu'l-Sulayl saying: a man from among the
companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) addressed the people
until a large number had gathered around him,
then he climbed onto the roof of a house and
addressed the people, saying: "The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, `Which aayah of the Qur'aan is the
greatest?' A man said, ` "Allaah! Laa ilaaha
illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped
but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains
and protects all that exists…" [al-Baqarah 2:255
_ Aayat al-Kursi _ interpretation of the
meaning].' He said: he put his hand between
my shoulders and I felt coolness in the centre
of my chest, or he put his hand on the centre of
my chest and I felt coolness between my
shoulders, and he said, `Congratulations on your
knowledge, O Abu'l-Mundhir."
It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: "I came to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
whilst he was in the mosque and sat down. He
said, `O Abu Dharr, did you pray?' I said, `No.'
He said, ` Get up and pray.' So I got up and
prayed, then I came and sat down. He said, `O
Abu Dharr, seek refuge with Allaah from the
devils of men and jinn.' I said, `O Messenger of
Allaah, are there devils among men?' He said,
`Yes.' I said, `O Messenger of Allaah, what
about salaah?' He said, `It is the best, so let
whoever wants to, do a little of it and let
whoever wants to, do more of it.' I said, `O
Messenger of Allaah, what about fasting?' He
said, `It is obligatory and it is good, and the
reward with Allaah is greater.' I said, `O
Messenger of Allaah, what about sadaqah
(charity)?' He said, `Allaah multiplies it many
times over.' I said, `O Messenger of Allaah,
what (charity) is best?' He said, `What a person
gives at times of hardship, or what he gives in
secret to a poor person.' I said, `O Messenger
of Allaah, which of the Prophets was first?' He
said, `Adam.' I said, `O Messenger of Allaah,
was he a Prophet?' He said, `Yes, a Prophet to
whom Allaah spoke.' I said, `O Messenger of
Allaah, how many Messengers are there?' He said.
`Three hundred and umpteen, a great crowd.' And
once he said, `(Three hundred and) fifteen.' I
said, `O Messenger of Allaah, what is the
greatest thing that has been revealed to you?'
He said, `Aayat al-Kursiy, "Allaah! Laa
ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be
worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who
sustains and protects all that exists…"
[al-Baraqah 2:255 _ interpretation of the
meaning].'" (Narrated by al-Nasaa'i).
Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) appointed me to guard the
Ramadaan zakaah. Someone came and started taking
some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and
said, `I am going to take you to the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)!' He said, `Let me be, for I am in need and
I have children and am in great need.' So I let
him go. The following morning, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said, `O Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do
last night?' I said, `O Messenger of Allaah, he
complained of being in great need and having
children to look after, so I took pity on him
and let him go.' He said, `But he was lying, and
he will be back.' So I knew that he would come
back, because of what the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had
said. I lay in wait for him, and he came and
started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold
of him and said, `I am going to take you to the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him)!' He said, `Let me be, for I
am in need and I have children. I will not come
back again.' So I took pity on him and let him
go. The following morning, the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, `O
Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last
night?' I said, `O Messenger of Allaah, he
complained of being in great need and having
children to look after, so I took pity on him
and let him go.' He said, `But he was lying, and
he will be back.' So I lay in wait for him on
the third night, and he came and started taking
some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and
said, `I am going to take you to the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)! This is the third and last time. You said
that you would not come back, then you did come
back.' He said, `Let me go, and I will teach you
some words by which Allaah will benefit you.' I
said, `What are they?" He said, `When you lie
down in your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy,
"Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the
right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living,
the One Who sustains and protects all that
exists…" [al-Baraqah 2:255 _ interpretation of
the meaning] until the end of the aayah,
then you will have a protector from Allaah and
no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until
morning comes.' Then I let him go. The following
morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, `What did your
prisoner do last night?' I said, `O Messenger of
Allaah, he claimed that he would teach me some
words by which he said Allaah would benefit me,
then I let him go.' He asked, `What are they?' I
said, `He told me, when you lie down in your
bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, from the beginning
to the end of the aayah, "Allaah! Laa ilaaha
illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped
but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains
and protects all that exists…" [al-Baraqah 2:255
_ interpretation of the meaning]. And he
told me, you will have a protector from Allaah
and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until
morning comes.' And they [the Sahaabah] were
always keen to do good.' The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `He
indeed told you the truth, although he is a
liar. Do you know who you have been speaking
with for the past three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?'
I said, `No.' He said, `That was a shaytaan (a
devil).'"
According to another report, "… `I was taking
food to a very poor family among the jinn.' So
he let him go, and he came back on the second
night and then the third night. I said, `Did you
not promise me that you would not come back? I
will not leave you today until I bring you to
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him).' He said, `Do not do that. If you let
me go, I will teach you some words which, if you
say them, no one among the jinn, great or small,
male or female, will come near you.' He said,
`Will you do that?' He said, `Yes.' He said,
`What are they?' He said, `"Allaah! Laa
ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be
worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who
sustains and protects all that exists…"
[al-Baraqah 2:255 _ interpretation of the
meaning], and recited Aayat al-Kursiy until
the end. So he let him go and he went away and
did not come back. Abu Hurayrah told the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
about that, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to
him: "Did you not know that before?" This was
narrated by al-Nasaa'i from Ahmad ibn Muhammad
ibn `Ubayd-Allaah from Shu'ayb ibn Harb from
Ismaa'eel ibn Muslim from Abu'l-Mutawakkil from
Abu Hurayrah. We have noted above that something
similar happened to Ubayy ibn Ka'b, so these are
three separate incidents. Abu `Ubayd said in
Kitaab al-Ghareeb: Abu Mu'aawiyah told
us, from Abu `Aasim al-Qaffi, from al-Shu'bi
from `Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood, who said: "A man
from among the humans went out and was met by a
man from among the jinn, who said, `Will you
wrestle with me? If you throw me to the ground I
will teach you an aayah which, if you recite it
when you enter your house, no shaytaan will
enter.' So he wrestled with him and threw him to
the ground. He said, `I see that you are very
small and your forearms are like the front paws
of a dog. Are all the jinn like this, or only
you?' He said, `I am strong among them. Let us
wrestle again.' So they wrestled again and the
human threw him to the ground. So he (the jinn)
said, `Recite Aayat al-Kursiy, for no one
recites it when he enters his house, but the
Shaytaan leaves, farting like a donkey.'" It was
said to Ibn Mas'ood, "Was that man `Umar?" He
said, "Who else could it have been, other than
`Umar?" …
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "In Soorat
al-Baqaraah there is an aayah which is the
best of all the aayahs of the Qur'aan. It is
never recited in a house but the Shaytaan
leaves: Aayat al-Kursiy." This was also narrated
via another isnaad, from Zaa'idah from Hakeem
ibn Jubayr. Then he said, its isnaad is saheeh
although they [al-Bukhaari and Muslim] did not
narrate it. It was also narrated by al-Tirmidhi
from the hadeeth of Zaa'idah, with the wording,
"Everything has its pinnacle and the pinnacle of
the Qur'aan is Soorat al-Baqarah. In it
there is an aayah which is the greatest in the
Qur'aan: Aayat al-Kursiy." Then he said:
(it is) ghareeb, we do not know it except from
the hadeeth of Hakeem ibn Jubayr. Shu'bah
discussed it and classed it as da'eef (weak). It
was also classed as da'eef by Ahmad,
Yahyaa ibn Mu'een and other imaams. Ibn Mahdi
classed it is matrook and al-Sa'di
classed it as false.
It was narrated from Ibn `Umar that `Umar ibn
al-Khattaab went out one day to some people who
had prepared a meal. He said, "Who among you can
tell me which is the greatest aayah in the
Qur'aan?" Ibn Mas'ood said, "You are asking one
who knows. I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say,
`The greatest aayah in the Qur'aan is
`Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the
right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living,
the One Who sustains and protects all that
exists…' [al-Baraqah 2:255 _ interpretation of
the meaning]."
Concerning the fact that it includes the
greatest name of Allaah, Imaam Ahmad said: "It
was narrated that Asmaa' bint Yazeed ibn
al-Sakan said: `I heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say
about these two aayahs (interpretation of the
meanings) — "Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa
(none has the right to be worshipped but He),
the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and
protects all that exists…" [al-Baraqah
2:255] and "Alif-Laam-Meem. [These
letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'aan,
and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their
meanings.] Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He),
Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who
sustains and protects all that exists)" [Aal
`Imraan 3:1-2] _ that they contain the
greatest name of Allaah.'" This was also
narrated by Abu Dawood from Musaddid and by
al-Tirmidhi from `Ali ibn Khashram, and by Ibn
Maajah from Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, all three
of them narrating from `Eesa ibn Yoonus from
`Ubayd-Allaah ibn Abi Ziyaad . Al-Tirmidhi said:
it is saheeh hasan.
It was narrated in a marfoo' report
that Abu Umaamah said: "The greatest name of
Allaah, which if He is called by it, He
responds, is in three (soorahs): Soorat
al-Baqarah, Aal `Imraan and
Ta-Ha." Hishaam, i.e., Ibn `Ammaar, the
khateeb of Damascus, said: "In al-Baqarah, it is
`Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the
right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living,
the One Who sustains and protects all that
exist' [al-Baraqah 2:255 _ interpretation of the
meaning]. In Aal `Imraan it is
`Alif-Laam-Meem. [These letters are one of
the miracles of the Qur'aan, and none but Allaah
(Alone) knows their meanings.] Allaah! Laa
ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be
worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever
Living, the One Who sustains and protects all
that exists)' [Aal `Imraan3:1-2 _ interpretation
of the meaning]. And in Ta-Ha it is `And
(all) faces shall be humbled before (Allaah),
Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who
sustains and protects all that exists)' [Ta-Ha
20:111]."
Concerning the virtue of reciting this aayah
after the prescribed prayers, it was narrated
that Abu Umaamah said: "The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Whoever recites Aayat al-Kursiy
immediately after each prescribed prayer, there
will be nothing standing between him and his
entering Paradise except death." This is how it
was narrated by al-Nasaa'i in al-Yawm
wa'l-Laylah, from al-Hasan ibn Bishr. It was
also narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his
Saheeh from Muhammad ibn Humayr, who is
al-Homsi, and is also one of the men of
al-Bukhaari. The isnaad meets the conditions of
al-Bukhaari.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com) 2589: Reward for reading the
Qur'aan in translation
Question:
Asalamu-Alaikum,
This is in regards to Question 2237 `Reading
Soorat Yaa-Seen in congregation on Friday
nights'. Actually I am referring to the hadeeth
you mentioned where The Prophet (peace be upon
him) said: "Whoever reads one letter of the Book
of Allaah will have one hasanah (reward) for
doing so, and every hasanah will be multiplied
by 10. I do not say that `Alif, laam, meem' is
one letter, but `Alif' is a letter, `laam' is a
letter and `meem' is a letter.'"
I was
wonderring if this hadith was also true if one
is reading the Qur'an in a different language
(i.e. English Translation) in order to actually
understand what he is reading?
Thank You, Allahu-Akbar
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. We ask Allaah to reward
you for your keenness. In response to your
question, the reward mentioned in this hadeeth
is only for the one who reads the Qur'aan as it
is in Arabic, not for the one who reads the
interpretation of the meanings in any other
language. However, if a person reads a
translation of the meanings in order to
understand the meaning and benefit from what the
aayaat are saying, then he will be rewarded for
doing this, and his reward is with Allaah,
because the Muslim will be rewarded for reading
tafseer (explanation and commentary), and a
translation is tafseer. But there is no
indication that the person who reads a
translation will earn the reward mentioned in
the hadeeth. The bounty of Allaah is immense.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 2241: The virtues of Soorat
al-Ikhlaas, etc.
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum
I have been practicing Islam for some time
now and I am still in the process of learning. A
Muslim friend of mine gave me a book on Duas and
in this book the author tells you exactly which
surahs and duas to say after each salaat. The
problem I have is that some of the surahs which
he mentions, I never heard of before and I think
that maybe they have other names. There are also
verses from the Quran that has to be said but
are in Arabic. I hope that you will be able to
help me as I am anxious to know exactly what
surahs and duas they are:
1. Surah ALHAMDU
2. Surah INNAFATAHNA
3. Dalailul Khrirat (one part)
4. ALLAHUS SAMAD (Is this one of Allah's 99
names that has to be recited 500 times or is it
a name of a dua?)
5. Surah AMMA YATASA ALOON
6. Ayat Karimah, i.e. "Lailaha illa anta
Subhanaka inna Kunto minazzalimeen" 100 times
(Please give it to me in English and tell me
which surah it's from?) Jazak Allah
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, the better-known names and numbers
of the soorahs about which you ask are as
follows:
Soorah al-hamdu is Soorat al-Faatihah
(the Opening), soorah #1
Soorah Innaa fatahnaa is Soorat
al-Fath (the Victory), soorah #48
Allaahu's-Samad is Soorat al-Ikhlaas
(the Purity), soorah #112
`Amma yatasaa'aloon is Soorat al-Naba'
(the Great News), soorah #78
The aayah "La ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka
innee kuntu min al-zaalimeen (None has the
right to be worshipped except You [O Allaah].
Glorified (and Exalted) are You. Truly, I have
been of the wrong-doers)" is from Soorat
al-Anbiyaa', Soorah 21, aayah 87.
A word of warning: The book Dalaa'il
al-Khayraat contains da'eef (weak) and
fabricated ahaadeeth, and prescribes things that
are contrary to the truth, so it is not right
for anyone to rely on this book.
Secondly, a translation of the Qur'aan in
English or any other language is not counted as
Qur'aan itself, and the rulings that apply to
Qur'aan do not apply to it. The Qur'aan is the
Word of Allaah which was revealed in the Arabic
tongue.
Thirdly, al-Ahad (the One) and
al-Samad (the Self-Sufficient) are two of
the great Names of Allaah.
Fourthly, stating that Soorat al-Ikhlaas
should be recited 500 times, and that the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning) "La ilaaha
illa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu min
al-zaalimeen (None has the right to be
worshipped except You [O Allaah]. Glorified (and
Exalted) are You. Truly, I have been of the
wrong-doers)" [al-Anbiyaa' 21:87] should be
recited 100 times is a practice that has no
basis whatsoever in the Qur'aan or the Sunnah of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), so it is not right to adhere to these
numbers. You should act upon the sound ahaadeeth
that describe the virtues of this soorah and
this aayah. These reports include the following:
From Qutaadah ibn al-Nu'maan (may Allaah be
pleased with him) who said that a man stayed up
to worship Allaah at the time of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) just
before dawn and recited "Qul huwa Allaahu
ahad," but did not recite anything else. In
the morning, the man came to the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told
him about this, thinking that perhaps he was not
doing enough. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "By the
One in Whose hand is my soul, it is equivalent
to one-third of the Qur'aan." (al-Bukhaari,
4627).
Ahmad reported from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that
a man said, "O Messenger of Allaah, I have a
neighbour who prays at night and he only ever
recites `Qul huwa Allaahu ahad'" _ as if
he did not think much of this. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it
is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'aan."
(al-Musnad, 10965)
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: "The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to his
Companions: `Could any one of you not recite one
third of the Qur'aan in one night?' They found
the idea too difficult, and said, `Who among us
could do that, O Messenger of Allaah?' He said,
`Allaahu'l-ahad, al- samad [i.e., Soorat
al-Ikhlaas] is one third of the Qur'aan.'"
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4628)
`Aa'ishah reported that when the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went
to bed, he would cup his hands together, blow
into them and recite into them Qul huwa
Allaahu ahad [Soorat al-Ikhlaas], Qul
a'oodhu bi Rabbi'l-falaq [Soorat al-Falaq]
and Qul a'oodhu bi Rabbi'l-naas [Soorat
al-Naas] (these are the last 3 soorahs of the
Qur'aan _ Translator). Then he would wipe as
much of his body as he could with his hands,
starting with his head and face, and the front
of his body. He would do this three times.
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4630)
`Aa'ishah also reported that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent
a man in charge of a small military campaign,
and when he recited Qur'aan whilst leading his
companions in prayer, he would always end with
Qul huwa Allaahu ahad. When they came
back, (his companions) mentioned that to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), who told them to ask him why he did that.
So they asked him, and he said, "Because it is a
description of the Most Merciful, and I love to
recite it." The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Tell him that Allaah
loves him." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6827)
`Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abzaa reported that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to recite Sabbih
isma Rabbik al-A'laa (Soorat al-A'laa, #87),
Qul yaa ayyuhaa'l-kaafiroon (Soorat
al-Kaafiroon, #109) and Qul huwa Allaahu
ahad (Soorat al-Ikhlaas, #112) in his witr
prayer, and when he had finished, he would
repeat Subhaan al-Malik al-Quddoos (Glory
be to the King, the Holy) three times, making
the last vowel long on the third recitation.
(Reported by al-Nisaa'i, 1721)
`Uqbah ibn `Aamir said: "I met the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)… and he said to me, `O `Uqbah ibn `Aamir,
shall I not teach you some Soorahs the like of
which have not been revealed in the Tawraat
(Torah) or the Zaaboor (Psalms) or the Injeel
(Gospel) or in the Qur'aan? There is no night
comes but you should not recite (i.e., every
night you should recite) Qul huwa Allaahu
ahad [Soorat al-Ikhlaas], Qul a'oodhu bi
Rabbi'l-falaq [Soorat al-Falaq] and Qul
a'oodhu bi Rabbi'l-naas [Soorat al-Naas].'"
`Uqbah said: "So every night I would recite
them. It became my duty to recite them, because
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) had commanded me to do so…"
(Musnad Ahmad, 16810)
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard a man
reciting Qul huwa Allaahu ahad, and said,
"It is his right.' They asked, `O Messenger of
Allaah, what is his right?' He said, `Paradise
is his right.' (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 7669)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Whoever recites Qul huwa
Allaahu ahad ten times, Allaah will build
for him a house in Paradise." (Saheeh
al-Jaami' al-Sagheer, 6472).
So recite it as many times as you wish,
without sticking to a certain number or time or
way that is not prescribed by sharee'ah.
With regard to the aayah "La ilaaha illa
anta subhaanaka innee kuntu min
al-zaalimeen", the following report has been
narrated concerning its virtues:
Sa'd said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `The
call of Dhoo'l-Noon [Yoonus/Jonah], which he
recited when he was in the belly of the fish,
`La ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu
min al-zaalimeen. There is no Muslim who
recites this in any situation, but Allaah will
respond to him." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3427,
and classed as saheeh in Saheeh
al-Jaami', 3383).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you of
something which, if some of the misery and
distress of this world befalls a man and he
recites it, he will be relieved of his stress.
It is the du'aa' of Dhoo'l-Noon: `La ilaaha
illa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu min
al-zaalimeen.'" (Reported by al-Haakim;
Saheeh al-Jaami', 2605).
We ask Allaah to help us, you and all our
Muslim brothers to gain beneficial knowledge and
to do righteous deeds. May Allaah bless our
Prophet Muhammad, Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed
Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 654: A weak hadeeth about
Soorah Yaa-Seen
Question:
What is the surah in the quran which is
considered the heaert of the Quran?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. There is a hadeeth which
suggests that Soorah Yaa-Seen is the heart of
the Qur'aan, but this is a weak hadeeth (see
Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da'eefah
wa'l-Mawdoo'ah by al-Albaani, hadeeth no.
169). There is no doubt that Soorah Yaa-Seen is
a great and important soorah which contains
moving stories and eloquent lessons, but there
is no proof that it was described as the heart
of the Qur'aan.
The fact that you are asking such a question
at the age of only thirteen is something which
deserves praise and encouragement. May Allaah
help and guide you.
Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
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