The Amazing Benefits of Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas
Surah al-Ikhlas is only four short verses, yet the Prophet ﷺ said it equals one third of the Quran. Here are the benefits of reciting Surah al-Ikhlas from authentic hadith, how to “recite a third of the Quran” in a single night, and one popular narration we do not rely on.
At a glance
- Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5013; Sahih al-Bukhari 7375; Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901
- Narrated by: Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, ‘Aishah and Anas (may Allah be pleased with them)
- Grade: Sahih (Sahih al-Bukhari); Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901: Sahih (Darussalam)
- Topic: Quran, Surah al-Ikhlas
- Practise it: Recite it often, in and outside salat
Let’s take a look at the hadiths that comment about Surah al-Ikhlas below.
Hadiths regarding the benefits of reciting Surah al-Ikhlas
1. It equals one third of the Quran
Reciting once of the surah equals to reciting one third of Quran.
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 ” .
“A man heard another man reciting (Surat-Al-Ikhlas) ‘Say He is Allah, (the) One.’ (112. 1) 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 Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur’an!””
Sahih al-Bukhari 5013 · Narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri
How to recite a third of the Quran in one night
أَيَعْجِزُ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ” قَالُوا : وَكَيْفَ يَقْرَأْ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ ؟ قَالَ : ” قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ تَعْدِلُ ثُلُثَ الْقُرْآنِ
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Is any one of you unable to recite a third of the Quran in a night?” They asked: “How could one recite a third of the Quran?” He said: “Qul huwa Allahu ahad is equal to a third of the Quran.”
Sahih Muslim 811 · Narrated by Abu ad-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) · Translation adapted from Sunnah.com
The Companions found the idea of reciting a third of the Quran every night hard, until the Prophet ﷺ told them Surah al-Ikhlas equals it (Sahih al-Bukhari 5015). On another day he gathered people, saying he would recite a third of the Quran to them, and then recited Surah al-Ikhlas (Sahih Muslim 812). So a simple nightly habit is to recite Surah al-Ikhlas, for example as part of the three Quls before sleeping. Its reward is like a third of the Quran; it does not replace reading the rest of the Quran.
2. Allah loves the one who loves it
Allah loves those who loves to recite Surah al-Ikhlas.
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ رَجُلاً عَلَى سَرِيَّةٍ، وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ لأَصْحَابِهِ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَيَخْتِمُ بِ ـ {قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ} فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا ذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ” سَلُوهُ لأَىِّ شَىْءٍ يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ ”. فَسَأَلُوهُ فَقَالَ لأَنَّهَا صِفَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ بِهَا. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَخْبِرُوهُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّهُ ”.
“The Prophet (ﷺ) sent (an army unit) under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers and would finish his recitation with (the Sura 112): ‘Say (O Muhammad): “He is Allah, the One.” ‘ (112.1) When they returned (from the battle), they mentioned that to the Prophet. He said (to them), “Ask him why he does so.” They asked him and he said, “I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Beneficent and I love to recite it (in my prayer).” The Prophet said (to them), “Tell him that Allah loves him.””
Sahih al-Bukhari 7375 · Narrated by ‘Aishah · also in Sahih Muslim 813
3. Loving it admits you to Jannah
The love for the surah shall bring you into Jannah.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man from the Ansar who led prayers at Masjid Quba recited Surah al-Ikhlas in every rak’ah, before another surah. When the Prophet ﷺ asked him why, he replied:
فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّهَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” إِنَّ حُبَّهَا أَدْخَلَكَ الْجَنَّةَ
“”O Messenger of Allah! Indeed I love it.” So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Your love for it shall have you admitted into Paradise.””
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901 · Sahih (Darussalam) · Narrated by Anas bin Malik
What about reciting it ten times for a palace in Jannah?
You may have heard that reciting Surah al-Ikhlas ten times builds a palace in Jannah. That narration (Mishkat al-Masabih 2185) is mursal: Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib reports it from the Prophet ﷺ without naming the Companion in between, and mursal reports are classed as weak. Sunnah.com notes that al-Albani had not studied it. So we do not rely on it here, and the three authentic benefits above are more than enough reason to love this surah.
Benefits of Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas: Surah al-Ikhlas and its meanings
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ (٣) وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ (٤)
Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): “He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (Allah the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”
Surah al-Ikhlas 112:1–4 · Translation adapted from al-Hilali & Khan (Quran.com)
Benefits of Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas: Recitation of Surah al-Ikhlas
Key lessons
- Surah al-Ikhlas equals one third of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari 5013).
- Loving it earns Allah’s love (Sahih al-Bukhari 7375) and Jannah (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901).
- It is a pure declaration of Allah’s Oneness.
Questions people ask
What are the benefits of reciting Surah al-Ikhlas?
From authentic hadith: it is equal to one third of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari 5013), Allah loves the one who loves it (Sahih al-Bukhari 7375), and loving it leads to Jannah (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901, Sahih per Darussalam).
Is Surah al-Ikhlas really equal to one third of the Quran?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said: “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur’an!” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5013).
Does reciting Surah al-Ikhlas ten times build a palace in Jannah?
That narration (Mishkat al-Masabih 2185) is mursal, which is classed as weak, so we do not rely on it. The authentic benefits of the surah are listed above.
Can I recite Surah al-Ikhlas in every rak’ah?
A man from the Ansar used to recite it in every rak’ah at Masjid Quba, and when he said he loved it, the Prophet ﷺ told him his love for it would admit him to Paradise (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2901).
How can I recite a third of the Quran in one night?
The Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions if they could recite a third of the Quran in a night, then told them that Surah al-Ikhlas equals a third of the Quran (Sahih Muslim 811, Sahih al-Bukhari 5015). Reciting it each night is an easy way to gain that reward.
Conclusion about the benefits of reciting Surah al-Ikhlas
Surah al-Ikhlas talks about the oneness of Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala. Allah loves the person who loves this surah and blesses them. So recite it as often as you can and may Allah reward you heavily.
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