قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ   ١
ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ   ٢
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ   ۳
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ   ٤

2. Allah—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺

3. He has never had offspring, nor was He born.

4. And there is none comparable to Him ¹

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Surah al-Ikhlas 112: 1–4

The virtue and benefit surah al-Ikhlas

1. Reading surah al-Ikhlas equals reading one-third of the Quran.
   There is a story from Hadist narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:

    

   حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ الْمَشْرِقِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَصْحَابِهِ ‏”‏ أَيَعْجِزُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ ‏”‏‏.‏ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقَالُوا أَيُّنَا يُطِيقُ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الصَّمَدُ ثُلُثُ الْقُرْآنِ ‏”‏‏.‏

   Translation: The Prophet (ﷺ) 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 Messenger (ﷺ)?” 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”.

   The Hadith’s intention is, Rasulullah ﷺ advised us always to read the Al-Quran, 10 Juz overnight (1/3 of the Quran). But for those who cannot, Rasulullah ﷺ provides a way for those who cannot, to still get the same reward as reading 1/3 of the Quran. Of course, We must implement this Hadith properly. It doesn’t mean that we don’t read al-Quran and then only read surah al-Ikhlas. This Hadith is for those who cannot, or our children or those who are just learning the Koran, that is, those who read only one sheet of the Koran feel like reading one juz.

   So we still have to read the Koran as much as we can. For example, we can have one sheet of Quran in one night at this time, then read it. And then we always read surah al-Ikhlas to get the virtue of the surah al-Ikhlas, which is to get the same reward as reading 10 Juz (1/3 of the Quran overnight).

2. Rasulullah always reads it when he wants to sleep.
   Hadith narrated by Aisyah RA:

    

   حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، 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.

   Translation: Whenever the Prophet ﷺ went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times.

FOOTNOTES

1. As mentioned in the Introduction, the Quran has three main themes: 1. Stories. 2. Muslim teachings. 3. And belief in the unseen. Since Surah 112 covers the third theme, the Prophet (ﷺ) says in a ḥadith collected by Bukhari and Muslim that reading this surah equals reading one third of the Quran.
   
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