Question # 48: What is the fazilah of reciting surah ikhlaas during maghrib prayers and surah Muzzammil after ‘isha prayers. Please advise


bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: There is no authentic narration, either in the Qur’an or Sunnah to supporting the claim that soorah ikhlaas should be recited during maghrib prayers and soorah Muzzammil after ‘isha prayers.

Long Answer:  Many ahadith were fabricated about the virtues of various soorahs of the Qur’an. Their fabricators’ intention was to encourage people to read Qur’an and devote themselves to that, and they claimed that they were doing good thereby. But their intentions were misguided because that is undoubtedly subject to the stern warning contained in the words of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم): “Whoever tells a lie about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim) It makes no difference whether the lie is intended for good or for evil. (Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid)

Nevertheless, we know that whoever reads one letter of the Qur’an will have one good deed recorded for him. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Whoever reads one letter from the Book of Allah will earn one good (hasanah) thereby. One good deed is equal to ten good deeds the like of it. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi; classed as sahih by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi)

  • Authentic evidences from the ahadeeth with respect to recitation during Maghrib

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would recite different surahs in the sunset prayer (Maghrib) on different days. Sometimes he would recite al-A’raf in the two rak’ahs and sometimes at-Tur or al-Mursilat. Says Abu ‘Umar ibn ‘AbdulBarr, “It is related that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) recited al-A’raf or as-Saffat or Ha-Mim Dukhan or al-A’la or at-Tin or the last two surahs of al-Mufassil. All of that is related through authentic chains.” Marwan ibn al-Hakim used to do this, and when Zaid ibn Thabit objected to it he said, “What is wrong with you that you always recite one of the short surahs from al-Mufassil during the sunset prayer? I have seen the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم)  reciting a long chapter therein.” Marwan asked, “And what is a long chapter?” He answered, “Al-A’raf.” This hadith is sahih. Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmizhi related it. An-Nasa’i records that ‘Aishah said, “The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) read al-A’raf during the sunset prayer and he divided it between the two rak’ahs.” To always recite a short surah from al-Mufassil is an act that differs from the sunnah, and this is what Marwan ibn al-Hakim did. (‘Fiqh Us-Sunnah’ by As-Sayyid Sabiq)

  • Authentic evidences from the ahadith with respect to virtues of reciting soorah al-ikhlaas.

From Qutaadah ibn al-Nu’maan (رضي الله عنه) who said that a man stayed up to worship Allah at the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) just before dawn and recited Qul huwa Allaahu ahad, but did not recite anything else. In the morning, the man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and told him about this, thinking that perhaps he was not doing enough. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’an.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)

‘Aa’ishah also reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) sent a man in charge of a small military campaign, and when he recited Qur’an whilst leading his companions in prayer, he would always end with Qul huwa Allaahu ahad. When they came back, (his companions) mentioned that to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم), who told them to ask him why he did that. So they asked him, and he said, “Because it is a description of the Most Merciful, and I love to recite it.” The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Tell him that Allah loves him.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

 

Wassalaam