Virtues of Surahs and Verses

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man in charge of an army unit to be in charge and judge between them so that everything take place in an orderly fashion and without chaos. He chose the most religious, knowledgeable, and expert one of them. For this reason, rulers and scholars were to lead the prayers due to their knowledge and religion. He always concluded his recitation with Sūrat al-Ikhlās in the second Rak‘ah of every prayer because of his love of Allah and His names and attributes. It is natural whenever someone loves something that he increases its remembrance. When they returned to Madīnah, they reported this to the Prophet. So he said: "Ask him why he does this!" Is it a coincidence, or is there a special reason? The leader said: "I do this because this Sūrah contains the attributes of the Most Merciful and I love to repeat it because of this. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Inform him, just as he repeats this Sūrah - because of what it contains of Allah's beautiful names and attributes and because he loves it - Allah loves him as well."

تيسير العلام للبسام الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة الطبعة- العاشرة، 1426 هـ - 2006 م. تنبيه الأفهام للعثيمين، طبعة مكتبة الصحابة - الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين- القاهرة- الطبعة الأولى 1426. الإلمام بشرح عمدة الأحكام لإسماعيل الأنصاري -طبعة دار الفكر- دمشق -الأولى 1381. صحيح البخاري، أبو عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيلالجعفي البخاري - تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر -الناشر : دار طوق النجاة - الطبعة الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، أبو الحسين مسلم بن الحجاج القشيري النيسابوري، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي - الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام، أحمد بن يحيى النجمي- دار المنهاج- القاهرة- مصر -الطبعة الأولى.

Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) was sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he heard a sound from the sky, like the sound of a door being opened. Gabriel raised his head and looked toward heaven, then he informed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that it was a gate from heaven that was opened that day, and it had never been opened before this day. An angel descended from it to the earth, who had never descended except on that day. The angel greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with peace, and said to him: Rejoice in the good news of two lights that have been given to you, which no prophet before you was given: Surat al-Fātihah and the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah. Then the angel said: No one will recite a single letter from either of them except that Allah Almighty will grant him the good, supplications, and requests contained within them.

1. The merit of Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah, and encouraging people to recite them and act upon them.
2. Heaven has gates through which divine commands descend, and they do not open except by the command of Allah Almighty.
3. Clarifying the great honor and favor that Allah bestowed upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), honoring him with what He did not give the prophets before him: these two lights.
4. Giving glad tidings of good is among the methods of calling to Allah.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 554) (806). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 244). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 700). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (4/ 1464). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 760). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (13/ 122).

Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) related a very interesting story that took place during the Prophet’s lifetime. A man was reciting Sūrat al-Kahf, and there was a horse near him, tied with a rope. Then, something like a cloud overshadowed him and started to come closer and closer. Frightened upon seeing that, the horse began to trample. The following morning, this man went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and related to him what had happened. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that this was tranquility descending due to the Qur’an’s recitation. This was a miracle-like event for this Companion and a proof from Allah, the Almighty, that His word is the truth. The man referred to in this Hadīth is Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him).

- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ. - صحيح البخاري –الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبدالله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - فتح الباري، تأليف الحافظ أحمد بن علي بن حجر العسقلاني، دار المعرفة. -كنوز رياض الصالحين؛ فريق علمي برئاسة أ.د. حمد العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1430هـ. - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - صحيح مسلم المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي - الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. - بهجة الناظرين, سليم بن عيد الهلالي، الناشر: دار ابن الجوزي ، سنة النشر: 1418 هـ- 1997م. - دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين, محمد علي بن محمد البكري الصديقي الشافعي, اعتنى بها: خليل مأمون شيحا, الناشر: دار المعرفة للطباعة والنشر والتوزيع، بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الرابعة، 1425 هـ - 2004 م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids us from failing to pray in our houses, thus making them like graveyards where prayer is not offered. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the devil runs away from the house in which Surat al-Baqarah is recited.

1. It is recommended to perform much worship and voluntary prayers at home.
2. It is not permissible to offer prayers in the graveyards, for this leads to polytheism and immoderate reverence for those buried in those graves. An exception is the permissibility of funeral prayer.
3. The prohibition against praying at the graves was well-established among the Companions, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from turning their houses like graveyards where prayer is not performed.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 539) (780). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 240). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 682). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 757). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (4/ 1460).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us in this Hadīth that the Qur’an has a 30-verse Sūrah that interceded for a man until Allah, the Almighty, forgave him. As he used to recite this Sūrah regularly during his lifetime, it interceded for him after his death, until Allah, the Almighty, averted His punishment from him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not name the Sūrah at the beginning of the Hadīth, but he did so at its end; a powerful indication of its sublimity and high rank and a greater motive for reciting it persistently.

1/ بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. 2/ تحفة الأحوذي بشرج جامع الترمذي؛ للإمام محمد عبدالرحمن المباركفوري، أشرف عليه عبدالوهاب عبداللطيف، دار الفكر. 3/ جامع الأصول في أحاديث الرسول؛ للإمام مجد الدين ابن الأثير الجزري، حققه عبدالقادر الأرناؤوط، نشر مكتبة الحلواني وغيرها، 1392هـ. 4/ سنن أبي داود, أبو داود سليمان بن الأشعث بن إسحاق بن بشير بن شداد بن عمرو الأزدي السِّجِسْتاني, المحقق: محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد, المكتبة العصرية، صيدا – بيروت. 5/ سنن الترمذي، تأليف: محمد بن عيسى الترمذي، تحقيق أحمد شاكر وغيره ، الناشر: شركة مكتبة ومطبعة مصطفى البابي الحلبي، الطبعة: الثانية، 1395 هـ. 6/ مسند الإمام أحمد بن حنبل، تحقيق: شعيب الأرنؤوط - عادل مرشد، وآخرون، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الأولى، 1421هـ - 2001م. 7/ دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي-بيروت. 8/ رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 9/ سنن ابن ماجه؛ للحافظ محمد بن يزيد القزويني، حققه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار إحياء الكتب العربية. 10/ صحيح سنن أبي داود؛ تأليف الشيخ محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، غراس-الكويت، الطبعة الأولى، 1423هـ. 11/ كنوز رياض الصالحين؛ فريق علمي برئاسة أ.د. حمد العمار، دار كنوز إشبيليا-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1430هـ. 12/ نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf by heart will be protected, guarded, and shielded from the trial of the Antichrist, who will appear at the end of time and claim divinity. His trial will be the greatest trial on Earth from the time of Adam's creation until the advent of the Hour, due to the supernatural events that Allah Almighty will allow him to perform to deceive his followers. This is because the beginning of Surat al-Kahf contains wonders and signs that are greater than what the Antichrist will use to deceive the people. Therefore, whoever reflects upon it will not be deceived by the Antichrist. Another version reads: The last ten verses of the Surah from His statement: {Do the disbelievers think that they can take My slaves...}.

1. Pointing out the merit of Surat al-Kahf and that its beginnings or endings protect against the trial of the Antichrist.
2. It informs about the Antichrist and outlines the means of protection against him.
3. Encouraging the memorization of Surat al-Kahf in its entirety, and if one is unable to do this, then he may memorize its first and last ten verses.
4. Al-Qurtubi said regarding the reason for this: It is said: This is because of the wonders and signs found in the story of the People of the Cave; whoever reflects on it will not be astonished by the matter of the Antichrist and will not be alarmed by it, thus he will not be misled by him. It is also said that it is due to His saying: {To warn of severe punishment from Him}, emphasizing the severity of the punishment and its divine origin. This aligns with what the Antichrist will claim regarding divinity, his dominance, and the magnitude of his trial. This is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the seriousness of his matter, warned against him, and sought refuge from his trial. Therefore, the meaning of the Hadīth is that whoever reads these verses, reflects on them, and understands their meaning will be cautious and safe from him.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 555) (809). بهجة الناظرين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 243). شرح النووي على مسلم (6/ 92). فيض القدير شرح الجامع الصغير، لعبدالرؤوف المناوي (6/ 119). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (13/ 115). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لملا القاري (4/ 1465). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخن (2/ 760).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever recites the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah at night, Allah will protect him from evil and harm. It is also said that they are sufficient for him in place of qiyām al-layl (supererogatory prayer at night). They are also said to suffice him in place of all regular dhikrs. Others say that they are the least sufficient amount of Qur'anic recitation in qiyām al-layl. Other opinions were also expressed. Perhaps all those views are correct and consistent with the Hadīth's wording.

1. The Hadīth points out the merit of the last verses of Surat al-Baqarah - From {The Messenger believes...} to the end of the Surah.
2. The last verses of Surat al-Baqarah protect its reciter from evil, harm, and the devil if recited during the night.
3. The night starts at sunset and ends at dawn.

صحيح البخاري (6/ 188) (5008-5009). صحيح مسلم (1/ 554) (807). فتح الباري بشرح صحيح البخاري، لابن حجر (9/ 56). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 240). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص593). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لملا علي القاري (4/ 1465). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 757).

Abu Sa‘īd Rāfi‘ ibn Al-Mu‘alla,(may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: 'Shall I': He used this form of speech to alert the addressed person to what comes after it. "Shall I teach you the greatest Sūrah in the Qur’an before you leave the mosque": He said so instead of teaching him the Sūrah directly in order to prompt him to clear his mind to receive this information with wholehearted readiness. "Then he took me by the hand": i.e. after he had said that, and we walked on. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, you said: 'I shall teach you the greatest Sūrah in the Qur’an.'" He said: "It is Alhamdulillāh Rabb al-‘Ālāmīn" (i.e. Sūrat al-Fātihah): Al-Fātihah is the greatest Sūrah because it encompasses all the purposes of the Qur’an and hence is called "Umm al-Qur’an" or 'the Mother of the Qur’an'. Then he mentioned what distinguishes Al-Fātihah from the other Sūrahs, thus making it the greatest of them all, saying: "It is As-Sab‘ al-Mathāni”. Mathāni is plural of "muthannah", meaning 'doubled', because it is recited twice in each Rak‘ah; or because it is followed by another Sūrah, so it is recited in a pair of Sūrahs; or because it includes two parts: praise and invocation; or because it includes eloquent meanings and skillful structure; or because it is repeated over the passage of time, so it will never cease to exist, and it is always taught, so it will never become extinct; or because its benefits are renewed with each state infinitely; or because it is derived from "thanā" or 'praise' because it includes praise of Allah, the Almighty, as if praising Him with His beautiful Names and Attributes; or because it is derived from "thanāya" because Allah has made it peculiar to this nation; and there are other possible meanings. "And the Glorious Qur’an": means that Al-Fātihah is also called 'the Glorious Qur’an' because it encompasses everything that is related to existence in this worldly life and in the afterlife as well as rulings and creeds.

1-بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي.ط 1-1415 2-دليل الفالحين لطرق رياض الصالحين؛ لمحمد بن علان الشافعي، دار الكتاب العربي-بيروت. 3-رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 4-صحيح البخاري –الجامع الصحيح-؛ للإمام أبي عبدالله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، عناية محمد زهير الناصر، دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى، 1422هـ. 5-نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.