Sat 24 Feb 2018
✏️ Lesson 6: The Virtues of verse Ayatul-Kursi (2:255), Suratul Ikhlaas (The Purity) and other chapters
- Brief Recap of previous lessons
- This lesson will cover the virtue of Ayatul Kursi (the verse which mentions the footstool of Allah, 2:255), Chapter Al-Ikhlaas (The Purity) and other chapters
- Previous lessons have mentioned that certain chapters of the Qur’an have specific virtues, e.g. we covered Chapter Al-Fatiha (The Opening) in lesson 5
- The greatest verse of the Quran is Ayatul kursi (Chapter Al-Baqarah (The Cow), verse 255)
- Ubayy b. Ka’b said: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: O Abu’ al-Mundhir, do you know the verse from the Book of Allah which, according to you, is the greatest? I said: Allah and His Apostle (ﷺ) know best. He again said: Abu’l-Mundhir, do you know the verse from the Book of Allah which, according to you, is the greatest? I said: Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal. Thereupon he struck me on my breast and said: May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu’l-Mundhir!” [Sahih Muslim]
- What is the reason for the high status of Ayatul kursi? This is due to the meanings of tawhid (Islamic monotheism) and praise upon Allah that it carries. It mentions the attributes of Might and Majesty of Allah.
- Ayatul kursi has 5 names of Allah and over 20 attributes of Allah and this is more than any one verse in the Qur’an
- Shayk ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said there is not a single ayah of the qur’an which incorporates that which ayatul kursi incorporates
- Due to this great virtue of this verse, a person who reads ayatul kursi at night, then Allah will place a guardian upon him/her until dawn and no shaitan (satan) will approach him/her:
- Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said, “I will take you to Allah’s Apostle!” Then Abu Huraira described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), “(Please don’t take me to Allah’s Apostle and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you.) When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” (When the Prophet heard the story) he said (to me), “He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was Satan.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
- Hadith of Abu umamah that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “whoever reads Ayahtul kursi at the end of each the obligatory prayers, nothing prevents him from entering Paradise except that he dies” [Reported in Sunan an-Nasa’i]
- Ibnul Qayyim mentioned that Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah would always recite Ayatul kursi at the end of each of the obligatory prayers
- Chapter Al-Ikhlaas (The Purity) also has a great virtue;
- The reward for reciting this chapter is equal to that of a third of the qur’an
- How is this (i.e. Suratul Ikhlas being equivalent to a 1/3 of the Qur’an) the case?
- There are generally 3 topics in the Qur’an, these are; tawhid (monotheism), rulings (e.g. halal, haram) stories of the Prophets or those of the past. Some of the scholars say since Suratul-Ikhlaas purely incorporates tawhid then this is why is has the reward for reciting a third of the Qur’an.
- It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri that: A man heard another man reciting “Say: He is Allah, (the) One” and repeating it. When morning came he went to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and told him about that. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it is equal to one-third of the Quran.” [Related by Sunan an-Nasa’i]
- Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to his companions, “Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur’an in one night?” This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, “Who among us has the power to do so, O Allah’s Apostle?” Allah Apostle replied: ” Allah (the) One, the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need.’ (Surat Al-Ikhlas 112.1–to the End) is equal to one third of the Qur’an.” [Related by Al-Bukhari]
- Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said Suratul Ikhlas being a third of the Qur’an can be explained by the explanation above (regarding the 3 topics), however it should not be said Suratul Ikhlas is better than Suratul Fatiha, or that reciting it 3 times is equivalent to reciting the entire Qur’an. The Qur’an is to be recited as it is. Reciting it provides equivalent reward as though reciting a third of the Qur’an however these acts themselves are not the same and a person should not abandon reciting the rest of the Qur’an.
- There are a great many hadith concerning the virtues of certain however some of the are weak (or even fabricated) and the reader should be careful in ensuring the sources are authentic.
- Story regarding fabricated hadith and how that came about
- When people fabricate such hadith they often do it to encourage others, e.g. someone saying “reading surah Falaq at such and such time will get you 1000 reward” HOWEVER this is wrong. We should be content with the authentic hadiths already found in the Sunnah who have plenty of encouragement for us, there is no need or excuse for fabrication of hadith. Sahih Bukhari has an entire chapter on this topic
- Story of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Yahya Ibn Ma’een and the khutbah they heard which referenced them for a fabricated hadith.
- Ibn Qayyim said there are many narrations on this topic which are fabricated
- There are authentic hadith regarding the virtues of certain chapters, some disputed hadiths as well as many fabricated hadiths. 3340
- Level 1: Examples of Known Authentic Hadith
- Allah has not revealed anything like Surah Fatiha (The Opening) in the previous scriptures
- Chapter Al-Baqarah (The Cow) and Surtatul Imran (The Family of Imran) their virtues and these chapters interceding for a person
- Virtues of Ayatul Kursi
- A Last two verses of Suratul Baqarah (The Cow)
- Reading Suratul Baqarah when recited in the home then the shaitaan (devil) does not enter that home
- First ten verses of Suratul Kahf (The Cave) protects from the Dajjal (antichrist)
- Suratul Falaq (The Daybreak) and Suratun-Naas (Mankind) for protection from the shaitaan
- Level 2: Hadith which are disputed, Discussions amongst the Scholars
- That chapter Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) is equivalent to half the Qur’an
- That chapter Al-Kaafiruun (The Disbelievers) is equivalent to a quarter of the Qur’an
- That Chapter Al-Mulk (The Dominion) reciting it before going to sleep protects from the punishment of the grave
- Level 3: Weak Hadith
- Ibn Qayyim says any other narration other than the ones above which carry the structure “Whoever recites such and such will get such and such reward” are all fabricated, e.g. reciting at certain time, particular nights, at the graves or for ailments (e.g. reciting Chapter Yaaseen on the dying), such hadith are generally fabricated.
- One must check the sources and NOT just accept such narrations if the sources are not known.
- NOTE: there are other authentic narrations regarding virtues of certain Surahs, and the list above in “Known Authentic” is not exhaustive as there are other authentic narrations, The MAIN point is that as a default rule, any narration about virtues of certain chapters should be checked for authenticity
- Some mistaken people who make fabricated narrations say, “we are not lying against the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), we are lying for him” and this is completely wrong. Their intentions may be good; however they have opposed what the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and have invented new matters as though they have brought something better or improved the religion.
- Narrated Anas: The fact which stops me from narrating a great number of Hadiths to you is that the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وسلم)) said: “Whoever tells a lie against me intentionally, then (surely) let him occupy his seat in Hell-fire.” [Related by Al-Bukhari]
- Note that the benefit and impact gained from reciting the Qur’an depends on the level of focus, sincerity and submission to Allah that the reciter has