Al-Ikhlāṣ: Merits

Given the significance of this chapter, there are many narrations reported about its merits. The author of Nūr al-Thaqalayn has compiled ninety traditions from the Prophet and his household regarding this chapter.¹

1. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is reported to have said: ‘In his [Night of] Ascension (miʿrāj), God told Prophet Muhammad (s): “Read the chapter of al-Ikhlāṣ the way it was revealed, because it is My identity.”’²

2. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is reported to have said: ‘Whoever prays five times in a day and does not recite in them Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ at least once, is told: “O servant of God, you are not amongst those who uphold prayers.”’³

3. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is reported to have said: ‘Whoever believes in God and the Day of Judgement should not abandon the recitation of Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ after every prayer; whoever reads this chapter [after each prayer], God will give them the good of this world and the next, and they and their parents will be forgiven.’⁴

4. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is reported to have said: ‘Whoever recites this chapter once, it is as though he has recited a third of the Quran, a third of the Torah, a third of the Bible, and a third of the Psalms.’⁵

5. Imam Ali (a) is reported to have said: ‘Whoever recites Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ before going to sleep, God will appoint 50,000 angels to protect him until morning.’⁶

6. Imam al-Riḍā (a) is reported to have said: ‘If they ask you about the unicity of God then say as God said: He is Allah, the one, Allah is the all-embracing, He neither begat, nor was begotten, nor has He any equal [112:1-4]. If they asked you about God’s qualities and attributes then say as God said: Nothing is like Him [42:11]. And if they ask you about the hearing of God then say as God said: all-hearing, the all-knowing [2:137].’⁷