Sura al-Ikhlas: Difference between revisions

|Makki/Madani= Makki

'''Sūra al-Ikhlāṣ''' (Arabic: {{ia|سورة الإخلاص}}) or '''al-Tawḥīd''' (Arabic: {{ia|التوحيد}}) is 112th [[sura]] of the [[Qur'an]]. It is a [[Makki sura]] located in [[juz']] 30. This sura is called al-Tawhid or al-Ikhlas because it speaks about the [[unity of God]] and releases human being from [[polytheism]].  

The content of Sura al-Ikhlas is about unity of God and His needlessness of anything and the need of all beings to Him. Many merits are mentioned for Sura al-Ikhlas, including that it is equal to one third of the Qur'an and three times recitation of it equals to a complete [[recitation]] of the Qur'an. Its recitation in [[daily prayers]] is emphasized in [[hadith]]s. In a hadith, the noble [[Prophet (s)]] likened [[Imam Ali (a)]] to Sura al-Ikhlas and said that the same way three times recitation of Sura al-Ikhlas equals to complete recitation of the Qur'an, loving Imam Ali (a) by the tongue, heart, and hand (in practice) is loving [[Islam]].

==Place and Order of Revelation==

[[Al-Tabrisi]] considered Sura al-Ikhlas, [[Makki]] and wrote that it is also said that it was [[Madani]]. Al-Suyuti, among Sunni scholars, believed that Sura al-Ikhlas was revealed twice: once in [[Mecca]] and once in [[Medina]]; but, [['Allama Tabataba'i]] wrote that according to the events mentioned about the [[context of the revelation]] of Sura al-Ikhlas, it seems that it was Makki. In the order of [[revelation]], Sura al-Ikhlas was 22nd sura revealed to the Prophet (s). In the current order of compilation in the Qur'an, this sura is 112th sura located in [[juz']] 30.

Sura al-Ikhlas has 5 verses, 15 words, and 47 letters. This sura is among [[Mufassalat suras]] (having several short verses). Sura al-Ikhlas and the three suras of [[Sura al-Kafirun|al-Kafirun]], [[Sura al-Nas|al-Nas]], and [[Sura al-Falaq|al-Falaq]] which begin with "qul" [say] are called [[Four Qol]]. Sura al-Ikhlas is considered among [[Jam'i al-Nuzul]] suras, all the verses of which were revealed together and at once.

==Context of Revelation==

About the [[context of revelation]] of Sura al-Ikhlas, it is [[narration|narrated]] from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] that a group of [[Jews]] asked the Prophet (s) to describe God for them. The Prophet (s) didn't answer for three days until Sura al-Ikhlas was revealed and he (a) answered them. It is also said that it was a request of some of the polytheists of Mecca, the [[People of the Book]] of [[Medina]] or other people.

It is narrated from the Prophet (s) and [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]] that Sura al-Ikhlas is equal to one third of the Qur'an. It is also narrated from [[Imam al-Rida (a)]] that whoever recites Sura al-Ikhlas and believes in it, [truly] knows the unity of God. It is narrated from the Prophet (s) that he (s) advised, "recite this sura a lot, because it is the light of the Qur'an." It is narrated from Imam Ali (a) that whoever recites Sura al-Ikhlas and [[Sura al-Qadr]] during the day or at night a hundred times, God will give him a light in the grave which stays before and after him and accompanies him to the [[Paradise]]. Also, [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] says, whoever passes a day and does not recite Sura al-Ikhlas in [[daily prayers]], he will be told that 'you are not a [true] prayer!'.

In hadith sources, some benefits are mentioned for it such as alleviating sore eyes, guarding a person in his travel (if recited 11 times) and guarding by 50 [[angel]]s during sleep, removing poverty, forgiveness of sins (if recited 200 times at night or in two-rak'a prayers on Friday) and fulfillment of supplication (if it is recited after [[Sura al-Fatiha]] in the first rak'a of the prayer).

The [[recitation]] of Sura al-Ikhlas is highly [[recommended]] in [[obligatory prayers]]. It is said that it is [[Makruh|disliked]] to recite the same sura after Sura al-Fatiha in both [[rak'a]]s of the [[prayer]], unless it is Sura al-Tawhid. Contrary to other suras of the Qur'an which the [[prayer]] can give up before reaching its half and can recite another sura, Sura al-Ikhlas and [[Sura al-Kafirun]] are exempted from this ruling and if the prayer begins recitation of either of these suras, should finish it.  

Recitation of Sura al-Ikhlas is recommended in many [[recommended prayers]] such as the first two rak'as of [[night prayer]], one rak'a of [[al-watr prayer]], [[nafila]] of [[fajr prayer]], first rak'a of the nafila of [[Noon prayer|noon]] and [[maghrib prayer]]s, [[ihram]] and [[tawaf]] prayers, and when [[staying in 'Arafat]]. It is recommended to recite sura al-Tawhid 11 times when passing by the cemetery and gift its reward to the dead.