Virtues of 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.
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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'.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (276 pages)
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)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (276 pages)
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)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (276 pages)
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)
Search Inside This Book At Google Book Search - (276 pages)
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 | 
