The Virtues of Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ

The Holy Prophet (sa) has declared this chapter to be one-third of the Qur’an. Thus, he has stated:

 ِ”مَنْ قرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَرَأَ ثُلُثَ الْقُرآن”

That is, ‘for he who recites Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, it is as if he has recited one-third of the Holy Qur’an.’ [1]

Furthermore, Abu Sa‘id Khudri (ra) states that the Holy Prophet (sa) said:

“ِوَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ إِنَّھَا لَتَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآن”

That is, ‘I swear by the One in Whose hands my life lies that Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is equivalent to one-third of the Holy Qur’an.’ [2]

This chapter being equivalent to a third of the Holy Qur’an does not imply that it is [actually] one-third of the text of the Qur’an. Rather, it only implies that its subject matter possesses particular significance. From reading the Holy Qur’an and the ahadith, it appears that two major trials would emerge in the latter days; the first would be the trial of the Antichrist and the second that of Gog and Magog. Both of these were to clash with Islam, one after another.

The first trial was in the form of the Trinity (God the father, God the son and God the holy spirit) instead of adopting the One God. And the second trial was that of atheism, or one who rejects the existence of God outright. The Holy Qur’an has refuted the creeds of both these trials and has elucidated the correct doctrines. The Holy Qur’an is replete with the praise of God the Father, and in this way, it supports the notion that God the Father is One and the Provider. Moreover, it very strongly negates the idea of God the son and God the holy spirit. In other words, the Holy Qur’an has established the divinity of God the father and has rejected God the son and God the holy spirit. Thus, it is clear that since one-third of the Holy Qur’an supports the notion of God the father, therefore, Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is equivalent to a third of the Holy Qur’an.

In fact, the aim of the Holy Qur’an is to establish the unity of Allah and to eliminate false doctrines. So when this chapter so completely yet so succinctly addresses this subject – which refutes false doctrines and explains the true reality of God’s unity – then it is equal to not just one-third of the Qur’an, but rather all of it. Therefore, there is no exaggeration in the Holy Prophet (sa) declaring this chapter to be equivalent to a third of the Holy Qur’an; rather, it is in view of the importance of its subject matter. Thus, because of this importance, the Holy Prophet (sa) has also called it the Greatest Chapter.[3]

It is narrated that when this chapter was revealed, 70,000 angels descended with it. [4] This narration also confirms the significance of this chapter. It should be remembered that these types of narrations – which mention certain chapters being accompanied by angels – do not mean that the angels are protecting the chapters as they are being revealed but rather that they are protecting them after they have been revealed.  This is because each chapter relates to a particular subject matter and, at times, contains prophecies. The truthfulness of the chapter depends on the fulfilment of these prophecies. Sometimes these prophecies pertain to physical events and sometimes to the deeds of man. Those prophecies having to do with people’s actions are particularly significant in that those who are forewarned about a divine punishment try their very best to prevent its fulfilment. Generally, because these prophecies are made in extraordinarily hostile circumstances, their fulfilment seems impossible or improbable through any worldly means. However, they can only be fulfilled when Almighty God provides His hidden support. Thus, for the chapters that contain these sorts of prophecies, which even mighty nations try to falsify, God Almighty commands those angels to whom various duties of this world have been assigned, to provide hidden means so that those prophecies may be fulfilled without any obstacles.

Although Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ contains no prophecy, it does discuss the subject of the unity of God, and as we mentioned above, in the latter days, two grave trials were to arise opposing the unity of God, such that if God Almighty had not arranged for heavenly angels to eliminate them, Muslims would not have been able to contend with them and it would have been difficult to challenge them. In order to safeguard the unity of God, God Almighty appointed 70,000 angels so that when the trials of the Antichrist and Gog and Magog attacked the unity of God with their full force and resources, angels descended from the heavens to eliminate them and despite hostile conditions, established this unity in the world. Idolatry and atheism would be destroyed and just as the kingdom of God Almighty is found in the heavens, it would also be established on the earth.

One of the narrations concerning the excellences of this chapter is by Hazrat Anas (ra), in which he mentions that a companion from the Ansar [those from the city of Madinah] led the prayers in the Quba Mosque. Before reciting any chapter during the salah [obligatory prayers in Islam], he would first recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ and then recite another chapter. The congregation asked him that if it was enough to recite one chapter in each rak‘ah [unit of prayer], then why did he need to recite another chapter? At this, the companion replied that he would not stop reciting Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ even if it meant that he would be dismissed from the duty of leading prayers. Because he was the best-suited person to lead prayers in that neighbourhood, he was not removed from this duty. When the Holy Prophet (sa) visited the neighbourhood, this issue was presented to him. Then the Holy Prophet (sa) asked this companion why he recited this chapter in every rak‘ah. The companion replied: ” .إِنّيْ أُحِبُّهَا “

That is to say, he loved the chapter’s meaning because it contained God Almighty’s unity. Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) replied,

َحُبَُكَ إِيَّاهَا أَدْخَلَكَ الْجَنَّة

That is, ‘your love for this Chapter has caused you to enter paradise’. These words of the Holy Prophet (sa) show that if a person firmly establishes themselves on the unity of God, and relies completely on Allah Almighty, then they will enter paradise.

Similarly, in the narrations it states:

أَنَّ رَجُلاً جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ  وَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ الْفَقْرَ فَقَالَ: إِذَا دَخَلْتَ بَيْتَكَ فَسَلِّمْ إِنْ كَانَ فِيْهِ أَحَدلٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيْهِ أَحَدٌ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَاقْرَأْ [قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ

That is, a person came before the Holy Prophet (sa) and complained about his poverty. The Holy Prophet (sa) stated that when he entered his house and somebody was there, he should say ‘peace be upon you’ [Assalamu Alaikum] to them. And if nobody was home then he should send the greetings of peace to himself, and then recite once قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ [Say, ‘He is Allah, the One’].[5]

The narration mentions that this companion acted according to this instruction of the Holy Prophet (sa), and as a result, not only was his poverty eliminated, he ended up with so much money and wealth that he was even able to help his neighbours

The reality is that when a person realises that there is a God Who possesses all powers and Who can bless their work, they will have absolute trust in Him and submit to Him alone. And when a person combines effort and prayer, then their problems are overcome. This narration teaches us the importance of hard work, absolute trust in God and prayer.

Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nisai, and Ibn Majah have all narrated that Hazrat Aishah (ra) stated that when the Holy Prophet (sa) lay in his bed at night, he would put his hands together and recite [the last three chapters of the Qur’an] Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās and then blow into his palms and pass them over his entire body. He would do this three times. By reciting these three chapters together and using them as prayers, the Holy Prophet (sa) has indicated that these three chapters, which have come at the end of the Holy Qur’an, are closely related.

God’s Perfect Unity is shown in Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, whilst the other two chapters contain prayers. It is evident that if man does not know that there is one God, Who fulfils all needs and is capable of bestowing all good and safeguarding one from every evil, he will never pay attention to prayer. For instance, if a dog runs to bite us, until we know who the owner of the dog is, how can we call someone to stop the dog? Of course, if we were to find out who the dog’s owner is, we could immediately call its owner and say, ‘Look, your dog is biting me. Call it off!’ Similarly, when we realise that there exists a Being on whom all our needs depend, and Who is so powerful that He can fulfil all of them, then our hearts will be inclined towards prayer automatically. Thus, there is a natural sequence in the order of Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās.

Surah al-Ikhlas informs us of the Omnipotence of God Almighty, and after this, we are instructed in Sūrah al-Falaq that we should pray, ‘O God! All creation is in Your Mighty Hand alone! Therefore, we seek refuge in You alone.’  People cannot possibly list each and every thing from which they seek to be protected. For instance, there are thousands of ailments – such as headaches, of which there are many types  that even doctors don’t understand yet. For if doctors knew about every type of headache, then why can’t they cure them? Similarly, there are many types of fevers. If the doctors knew about all the different types, why hasn’t every feverish patient been cured? Medical doctors say ‘this is malaria’ but due to the advancement of medicine, we now know that there are several types of malaria and the mosquitoes that produce malaria are also of different types. So, since the doctors cannot cure all fevers, clearly, there are also many kinds of malaria which are still unknown.

The homeopaths say that every individual’s fever is different, meaning Zaid’s fever is different from Bakr’s fever. And Zaid’s malaria might be of a particular kind at one point in time then be of a different kind at another time. For example, when he eats spinach he would have one type of malaria, and when he eats a kebab it might be of another type.

Therefore, the truth is that nobody can comprehend every ailment, nor can they have complete knowledge of everything. Therefore, we are directed to pray, ‘O my Lord! We do not have knowledge concerning everything. So You alone protect us from every evil.’

Then Sūrah al-Nās has been placed after Sūrah al-Falaq. Sūrah al-Nās does not specify, ‘protect me from Zaid’s evil’ or ‘protect me from Bakr’s evil’, but rather, ‘protect me from all kinds of evil – irrespective of whether it is from a tyrant, a state, or anyone in authority.’ This prayer cannot truly emanate from a person’s heart until they are convinced of Allah being the One [Ahad]. Therefore, it is evident that there is a mutual connection between the final three chapters of the Holy Qur’an, which explain that first, one should understand the Oneness of God [tauhīd], and [only] after that will they be able to offer the perfect prayer, and when that perfect prayer is offered, then evil will be eliminated.

One should also keep in mind that these three chapters, (that is, Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās), are based on the subject matter of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah۔ Just as Allah Almighty has begun the Holy Qur’an with Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, so too has He ended it with Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. That is to say, the entire subject matter of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah has been repeated at the end,  in the same way that a teacher repeats their lesson at the end. Before starting the lesson, the teacher says, ‘Today we will be commencing this subject.’ Then, at the end, the teacher summarises the lesson and states, ‘Now we have finished this subject’. So after resolving the matters which Sūrah al-Fātiḥah has directed our attention to, in the end the Holy Qur’an has summarized them and said, ‘We have explained this so bear it in mind.’

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ENDNOTES

[1] Fath-al-Qadir, Imam al-Shawkani.

[2] Al- Durr al-Manthur, Kanz al-‘Ummal, Fath al- Qadir and Tafsir al Razi.

[3] Ruh al-Ma‘ani. This is a well-known 19^th-century work of Qur’anic commentary authored by Iraqi scholar Mahmud al-Alusi. [Reference cited by author. Explanatory note: The Review of Religions.]

[4] Ruhul Bayan. This is also a Qur’anic commentary authored by Turkish scholar Ismail Haqqi, who lived in the 17^th century. [Reference cited by author. Explanatory note: The Review of Religions.]

[5] Ruhul Bayan