The Virtues of Surah Ikhlaas

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. Hazrat Abu Darda radiyallahu anhu reported Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, “Is any one of you unable to recite a third of the Qur’aan in a night?”

The companions asked, “How could a third be recited?”

He replied, “Qul huwallahu ahad is equivalent to a third of the Qur’aan.”

Note: Mainly in the Qur’aan there is mention of 3 topics; the unity of Allah Ta’ala, law and stories. Because the unity of Allah has been proclaimed with great eloquence in this Surah, this Surah is equivalent to a third of the Qur’aan.

Some scholars have stated that the recitation of Qul huwallahu ahad in itself earns the reward of reading one third of the Qur’aan. Now, taking into consideration the first opinion, if anyone was to recite Surah Ikhlaas 3 times he wouldn’t necessarily receive the reward of reciting the entire Qur’aan. Whereas if the second opinion is taken into consideration then by reading this Surah 3 times one will receive the reward of the recitation for the whole Qur’aan.

2. Hazrat Aisha radiyallahu anhu said that the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam sent a man in charge of an expedition. He would recite for his companions during their prayer, finishing with Qul huwaalhu ahad. When they returned they mentioned this to the Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam and he told them to ask him why he did that. They asked him and he replied, “Because it is a description of the Compassionate One, I like to recite it.”

Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, “Tell him that Allah loves him.”

3. Hazrat Anas radiyallahu anhu said a man told Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alaihe wasallam that he liked the Surah Qul huwallahu ahad to which he replied, “Your love of it will admit you into Paradise.”

4. Hazrat Anas radiyallahu anhu reported the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, “If anyone recites two hundred times daily, Qul huwallahu ahad the sins of fifty years will be wiped out, unless he is in debt.” Tirmizi and Darami transmitted it. The latter version has ‘fifty times’ and he did not mention ‘unless he is in debt’.

5. Hazrat Anas radiyallahu anhu reported the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam as saying, “If anyone who is about to sleep on his bed lies on his right side, then recites Qul huwallahu ahad a hundred times, the Lord will say to him on the day of resurrection, ‘My servant, enter paradise to your right.”

6. Saeed ibn Musayyib radiyallahu anhu reported in Mursal form that the Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, “If anyone recites ten times Qul huwallahu ahad a palace will be built for him in paradise. If anyone recites it twenty times, two palaces will be built for him in paradise owing to it and if anyone recites it thirty times, three palaces will be built for him in paradise because of it.”

Umar ibn Khattab radiyallahu anhu said, “I swear by Allah, Messenger of Allah, that we shall then produce many palaces for ourselves.”

To which he replied, “Allah’s abundant grace is even more comprehensive than that.”

7. Aifa ibn Abd Kilai told of a man who asked Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alaihe wasallam which Surah of the Qur’aan was greatest and was told that it is Qul huwallahu ahad. He asked which verse of the Qur’aan was greatest and he replied that is the throne verse, Allahu laailaaha illa huwal hayyul qayyoom. He asked, “O’ Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wasallam) which verse would you like to bring good to you and your people?”

He replied, “The end of Surah Baqarah, for it is one of the treasures of Allah’s treasures of Allah’s Mercy from under His Throne which He gave to this Ummah, and there is no good in this world and the next which it does not include.”

8. Hazrat Abu Saeed radiyallahu anhu says that he heard a person reciting repeatedly Qul huwallahu ahad. In the morning he (Abu Saeed) came to the Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam and related this to him, it seemed that the questioner was thinking of the Surah as being little. In answer to that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, “I swear by that Being in whose dominion my soul lies this Surah is equivalent to a third of the Qur’aan.”

Source: interislam