Sūrat Al-Ikhlāṣ

The Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ asked:

“Is any one of you unable to recite one-third of the Qur'ān in one night? They said: How could anyone read one-third of the Qur'ān (in one night)? He said: Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ) is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'ān.” Reference: Sahih Muslim 811a.

عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَيَعْجِزُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ‏" قَالُوا : وَكَيْفَ يَقْرَأْ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ؟ قَالَ : " قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ تَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ " ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudrī, “A man heard another man reciting (Sūrah Al-Ikhlāṣ) ‘Say He is Allah, (the) One.’ repeatedly. The next morning, he came to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ and informed him about it as if he thought that it was not enough to recite. On that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Sūrah is equal to one-third of the Qur’an!” Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari 5013.

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَمِعَ رَجُلاً، يَقْرَأُ (‏قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏)‏ يُرَدِّدُهَا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ وَكَأَنَّ الرَّجُلَ يَتَقَالُّهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّهَا لَتَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ‏

.‏‏.

This hadith has been narrated by Qatada with the same chain of transmitters in these words:

He (the Messenger of Allah) said: Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and he made:" Say: He, Allah is One." one part out of the (three) parts of the Qur'an.” Reference: Sahih Muslim 811b.

وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانٌ الْعَطَّارُ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ ‏.‏ وَفِي حَدِيثِهِمَا مِنْ قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَزَّأَ الْقُرْآنَ ثَلاَثَةَ أَجْزَاءٍ فَجَعَلَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ جُزْءًا مِنْ أَجْزَاءِ الْقُرْآنِ ‏

‏.‏

It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

Gather, for I am going to recite one-third of the Qur'an before you. And those who could get together gathered there. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out and recited:" Say: He, Allah, is One." He then entered (his house). Some of us said to the others: Perhaps there has been some news from the heaven on account of which he has gone Inside (the house). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) again came out and said: I told you that I was going to recite one-third of the Qur'in; keep in mind, this (Sūrah Ikhlāṣ) is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an. Reference: Sahih Muslim 812a.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ احْشِدُوا فَإِنِّي سَأَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكُمْ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَحَشَدَ مَنْ حَشَدَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَرَأَ (‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏)‏ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُنَا لِبَعْضٍ إِنِّي أُرَى هَذَا خَبَرٌ جَاءَهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي أَدْخَلَهُ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنِّي قُلْتُ لَكُمْ سَأَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكُمْ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ أَلاَ إِنَّهَا تَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ.

Anas mentioned that a man said to the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ, ‘I really love this sūrah’. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, ‘And your love for it will enable you to enter paradise’. Reference:

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ ‏(‏قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏)‏ فَقَالَ ‏

‏ إِنَّ حُبَّكَ إِيَّاهَا يُدْخِلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ.‏

Abu Hurayrah reported:

"I went out with the Messenger of Allah and heard a man reciting Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad [Sūrah Al-Ikhlāṣ] so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'It is obligatory.' I said: 'What is obligatory?' He said: 'Paradise (is obligatory as a reward for the man).'" Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2897.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ أَقْبَلْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَمِعَ رَجُلاً يَقْرَأُ ‏(‏قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ * اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ ‏)‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَجَبَتْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ وَمَا وَجَبَتْ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْجَنَّةُ ‏"‏.‏

'A'ishah reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a man in charge of an expedition and he would recite for his Companions during their prayer, ending (recitation) with:" Say, He is God, One." When they returned mention was made of it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He (the Prophet) told them to ask him why he had done like that. So they asked him and he said: Verily, it is an attribute of the Compassionate One, and (for this reason) I love to recite it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) thereupon said: “Inform him that Allah loves him.” Reference: Sahih Muslim 813.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ رَجُلاً عَلَى سَرِيَّةٍ وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ لأَصْحَابِهِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ فَيَخْتِمُ بِـ (‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏)‏ فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا ذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ سَلُوهُ لأَىِّ شَىْءٍ يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَسَأَلُوهُ فَقَالَ لأَنَّهَا صِفَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ بِهَا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَخْبِرُوهُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّهُ. ".

Jābir reported:

“During the two rakʿahs of ṭawāf, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited the two suwar: Qul yā ayyuhal kāfirūn (Sūrat al-Kāfirūn), and Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ).” Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 869.

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ فِي رَكْعَتَىِ الطَّوَافِ بِسُورَتَىِ الإِخْلاَصِ ‏:‏ ‏(‏ قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ‏)‏ وَ ‏(‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏)‏‏.‏

Ubayy reported:

"In the first rakʿah of witr (prayer), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite: “Sabbiḥ isma rabbikal-aʿlā (Sūrat al-Aʿlā), in the second, Qul yā ayyuhal kāfirūn (Sūrat al-Kāfirūn), and in the third (rakʿah), Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ).” Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1700.

عَنْ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْرَأُ فِي الرَّكْعَةِ الأُولَى مِنَ الْوَتْرِ بِـ (‏ سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى ‏)‏ وَفِي الثَّانِيَةِ بِـ (‏ قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ‏)‏ وَفِي الثَّالِثَةِ بِـ (‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏).‏

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited in the two (optional) rakʿahs of fajr:

Qul yā ayyuhal kāfirūn (Sūrat al-Kāfirūn), and Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ). Reference: Sahih Muslim 726.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَرَأَ فِي ركعتي الْفَجْرِ (‏ قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ‏)‏ وَ (‏ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏).

It was narrated from ʿĀ’ishah that when the Prophet (ﷺ) ﷺ went to bed every night, he would hold his hands together and blow into them, and recite into them (by cupping his hands together) the last three chapters of the Qur'ān. Then he would wipe them over whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the front of his body, and he would do that three times. Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari 5017.

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا أَوَى إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ جَمَعَ كَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ نَفَثَ فِيهِمَا فَقَرَأَ فِيهِمَا (‏قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏)‏ وَ(‏قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ‏)‏ وَ(‏قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ‏(‏ ثُمَّ يَمْسَحُ بِهِمَا مَا اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ يَبْدَأُ بِهِمَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ وَمَا أَقْبَلَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ‏.‏

Mu’ādh bin `Abdullah bin Khubayb narrated from his father, who said:

“We went out on a rainy and extremely dark night, looking for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so that he could lead us in Salat.” He said: “So I met him and he (ﷺ) said: ‘Speak’ but I did not say anything. Then he (ﷺ) said: ‘Speak.’ But I did not say anything. He (ﷺ) said: ‘Speak.’ So I said: ‘What should I say?’ He (ﷺ) said: ‘Say: “Say: He is Allah, the One (Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ)” and Al-Mu`awwidhatayn (Al-Falaq, an-Nās), in the evening, and in the morning, three times, and they will suffice you against everything.’” Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3575.

عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خُبَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا فِي لَيْلَةٍ مَطِيرَةٍ وَظُلْمَةٍ شَدِيدَةٍ نَطْلُبُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي لَنَا - قَالَ - فَأَدْرَكْتُهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ أَقُلْ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمْ أَقُلْ شَيْئًا ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ مَا أَقُولُ قَالَ ‏"‏ قُلْ ‏:‏ ‏(‏ هوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ‏)‏ وَالْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ حِينَ تُمْسِي وَتُصْبِحُ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ تَكْفِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ ‏".‏ ‏.