Abū Umāma said he heard God’s messenger say, “Recite the Qur’ān, for on the day of resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it. Recite the two shining ones, Baqara and sūra Āl Imrān (Qur’ān, 2 and 3). for on the day of resurrection they will come as two clouds or two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks* pleading for those who recite them. Recite sūra al-Baqara, for using it produces blessing and abandoning it produces regret, and the slothful are unable to recite it.” *The alternative may indicate that the transmitter was not sure which word was used, “clouds” or "shades”. Muslim transmitted it.

An-Nawwās b. Sam'ān said he heard the Prophet say, “On the day of resurrection the Qur’ān and those who acted according to it will be brought with sūra al-Baqara and Āl ‘Imran preceding them* like two black clouds or canopies with light between them, or as though they were two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for the one who recited them.” * Mirqāt says the pronoun may refer either to the people ahl mentioned, or to the Qur’ān, One may therefore read here either ‘them’ or 'it.' Muslim transmitted it.

God’s messenger asked, “Abul Mundhir (this is Ubayy’s Kunya), do you know which verse of God’s Book that you have is greatest?” I replied, “God and His messenger know best.” He repeated his question and I said, “God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal.” Thereupon he struck me on the breast and said, “May knowledge be pleasant for you, Abul Mundhir!” Muslim transmitted it.

I had been placed in charge of the zakāt of Ramadān by God’s messenger, and when someone came to me and began to take up handfuls of the food, I seized him and told him I was certainly going to take him before God’s messenger. But when he said, “I am needy, have children dependent on me, and my need is great,” I let him go. In the morning the Prophet asked, “What happened to your prisoner last night, Abū Huraira?” and I replied, “Messenger of God, he complained of great need and of having children dependent on him, so I had pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He lied to you, and he will come back.” I realised that he would return because God’s messenger had told me so, and therefore I lay in wait for him. When he came and began to take up handfuls of the food, I seized him and told him I was certainly going to take him before God's messenger; but when he said, “Let me go, for I am needy with children dependent on me, and I shall not return” I had pity on him and let him go. In the morning God’s messenger asked me, “What has happened to your prisoner, Abū Huraira?” and I replied, “Messenger of God, he complained of great need and of having children dependent on him, so I had pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He has certainly lied to you, and he will come back,” so I lay in wait for him, and when he came and took up handfuls of food I seized him and said, “I am certainly going to take you before God’s messenger, for this is the third time you assert you will not return, and then you do.” He said, “If you let me go I will teach you some words by which God will benefit you. When you go to your bed recite the Throne Verse (Qur’ān 2:255), ‘God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal’ to the end of the verse, for a guardian from God will then remain over you and no devil will come near you till the morning.” I therefore let him go, and in the morning God’s messenger asked me, “What has happened to your prisoner?” I replied, “He asserted that he would teach me some words by which God would benefit me.” He said, “He has certainly told you the truth though he is a great liar. Do you know to whom you have been talking for, three nights?” When I replied that I did not, he said, “That was a devil.” Bukhārī transmit­ted it.

Fātihat al-Kitāb (Qur’ān, 1) and the last verses of sūra al-Baqara (Qur’ān, 2). You will not recite a phrase of them without being given the blessing it contains.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abū Mas'ūd reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone recites the two verses at the end of sūra al-Baqara at night they will avert harm from him.” *Or will be enough for him. (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Abūd Dardā’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone learns by heart ten verses at the beginning of sūra al-Kahf (Qur’ān, 18) he will be pro­tected from the dajjal.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur’ān in a night?” On being asked how they could recite a third of the Qur’ān he replied. “‘Say, He is God, One’ (Qur’ān, 112) is equivalent to a third of the Qur’ān.” Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhārī transmitted it from Abū Sa'īd.

‘Ā’isha said that the Prophet sent a man in charge of an expedition and he would recite for his companions during their prayer, finishing with “Say, He is God, One.” When they returned they mentioned that to the Prophet, and he told them to ask him why he did that. They asked him and he replied, “Because it is a description of the Com­passionate One, and I like to recite it.” Then the Prophet said, “Tell him that God loves him.” (Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Anas said a man told God's messenger that he liked the sūra “Say, He is God, One,” to which he replied, “Your love of it will bring you into paradise.” Tirmidhī transmitted it and Bukhārī transmitted some­thing to the same effect.

‘Uqba b. ‘Āmir reported God’s messenger as saying, “What won­derful verses have been sent down to-night! The like of them has never been seen. They are ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn’ and ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of men.’” (Qur’ān, 113 and 114). Muslim transmitted it.

‘Ā’isha said that every night when the Prophet went to his bed he joined his hands and breathed into them, reciting into them, ‘Say, He is God, One’; ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn’; and ‘Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of men.’ Then he would wipe as much of his body as he could with his hands, beginning with his head, his face and the front of his body, doing that three times. (Bukhārī and Muslim)

the Qur’ān which will contend with men, having an exoteric and an esoteric mean­ing; the trust;* and ties of relationship which will say, ‘God join those who joined me and sever those who severed me’!” *Cf. Qur’ān, 33:72 It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna

‘Abdallāh b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “The one who was devoted to the Qur’ān will be told to recite, ascend and recite carefully as he recited carefully when he was in the world, for he will reach his abode when he comes to the last verse he recites.” Ahmad, Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Nasā’ī transmitted it.

Ibn 'Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Anyone who has nothing of the Qur’ān within him is like a ruined house.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, and Tirmidhī said this is a sahīh tradition.

Abū Sa'id reported God’s messenger as stating, “God who is blessed and exalted says, ‘To him who is so occupied with the Qur’ān as to neglect making mention of me and making request of me I will give the most excellent things I give to those who ask.’ The superiority of God’s words over all other words is like God’s superiority over His creatures.” Tirmidhī, Dārimī, and Baihaqī, in Shu’ab al-īmān, transmitted it, and Tirmidhī said this is a hasan gharīb tradition.

“If anyone recites a letter of God’s Book he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward (Al-Qur’ān, 6:160). I do not say that A.L.M are one letter*, but alif is a letter, lām is a letter and mīm is a letter.” *These letters occur at the beginning of sūras 2, 3, 29, 30, 31 and 32. No satisfactory explanation of their meaning has been given. A brief discussion of them is given by Abdullāh Yūsuf Ali in The Holy Qur’ān, Text, Translation & Commentary (Lahore, 1934 and later editions), note 25. Sea also pp. 118-120. Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a hasan sahīh tradition whose isnad is gharīb.

While passing in the mosque I found the people engrossed in talk, so I went to visit ‘Alī and told him. He asked if that was really so, and when I assured him that it was, he said he had heard God’s messenger say, “Dissension will certainly come,” and asked him how it could be avoided, to which he replied, “God’s Book is the way, for it contains information of what has happened before you, news of what will happen after you, and a decision regarding matters which occur among you (This is explained as a reference to such matters as unbelief and faith, obedience and dis-obedience, what is lawful and what is forbidden, etc.). It is the distinguisher and is not jesting, (Qur’ān, 86:13). If any overweening person abandons it God will break him, and if anyone seeks guidance elsewhere God will lead him astray. It is God’s strong cord, it is the wise reminder, it is the straight path, it is that by which the desires do not swerve nor the tongues become confused, and the learned cannot grasp it completely.* It does not become worn out by repetition and its wonders do not come to an end. It is that of which the jinn did not hesitate to say when they heard it, ‘We have heard a wonderful recital which guides to what is right, and we believe in it,’ (Qur’ān, 72). He who utters it speaks the truth, he who acts according to it is rewarded, he who pronounces judgment according to it is just, and he who invites people to it guides to a straight path.” *The verb used is one ordinarily meaning 'to be satisfied'. Here it is used to indicate that the learned can never learn all there is to be known about the teaching and meaning of the Qur’ān, so that they should be satisfied and feel no need to continue their study of it. Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmit­ted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a tradition whose isnād is unknown, and al-Hārith is adversely criticised.

Mu'ādh al-Juhani reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone recites the Qur’ān and acts according to its contents, on the day of resurrection his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts according to this?” Ahmad and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir said he heard God's messenger say, “If the Qur’ān were put in a skin and thrown into the fire it would not burn.” Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Alī reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone recites the Qur’ān, learns it by heart, declares what is lawful in it to be lawful and what is unlawful in it to be unlawful, God will bring him into paradise and make him intercessor for ten of his family all of whom have deserved hell.” Ahmad, Tirmidhī, Ibn Majah and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying that this is a gharīb tradition, and that Hafs b. Sulaīmān the transmitter is not strong, but is declared to be a weak traditionist.

When God’s Messenger once asked Ubayy b. Ka'b how he recited in the course of the prayer and he recited Umm al- Qur’ān (Al-Qur’ān 1) , he said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, nothing like it has been sent down in the Torah, the Injīl, the Zabūr, or the Qur’ān, and it is seven of the oft-repeated verses and the mighty Qur’ān (Qur’ān, 15:87) which I have been given.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, and Dārimī transmitted from “nothing like it has been sent down,” but he did not mention Ubayy b. Ka‘b. Tirmidhī said this is a hasan sahīh tradition.

He reported God's messenger as saying, “Learn and recite the Qur’ān, for to one who learns, recites and uses it in prayer at night it is like a bag filled with musk whose fragrance diffuses itself everywhere; and he who learns it and goes to sleep having it within him is like a bag with musk tied up in it.” Tirmidhī, Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

“If anyone recites in the morning Hā Mīm al-Mu’min (Al-Qur’ān, 40:1-3) to ‘to Him is the final goal’ and the Throne Verse (Al-Qur’ān, 2:255) he will be guarded by them till the evening, and if anyone recites them in the evening he will be guarded by them till the morning.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

“Two thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth God inscribed a book of which He sent down two verses with which He concluded Sūrat al-Baqara. The devil will not come near a house in which they are recited three nights.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Abūd Dardā’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who recites three verses at the beginning of al-Kahf will be protected from the trial of the dajjāl.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahīh tradition.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Everything has a heart, and the heart of the Qur’ān is Yā Sīn (Qur’ān, 36). God will record anyone who recites Yā Sīn as having recited the Qur’ān ten times.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth God recited Tā’ Hā’ (Qur’ān, 20) and Yā’ Sīn, and when the angels heard the recitation they said, ‘Happy are a people to whom this comes down, happy are the minds which carry this, and happy are the tongues which utter this’.” Dārimī transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If someone recites Hā’ Mīm ad-Dukhān (Qur’ān, 44) any night, seventy thousand angels will ask forgiveness for him in the morning.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying that this is a gharīb tradition and that ‘Umar b. Abū Khath'am the transmitter is declared to be weak. Muhammad, i.e. Bukhārī, said his traditions were rejected.

He reported God's messenger as saying, “If anyone recites Hā’ Mīm ad-Dukhān on a Thursday night his sins will be forgiven.” Tirmidhī transmitted it, saying that this is a gharīb da’īf tradition and that Hishām Abūl Miqdām its transmitter is declared to be weak.

Al-Irbād b. Sāriya said the Prophet used to recite al-Musabbihāt* before going to sleep, and say they contained a verse which is better than a thousand verses. *These are said to be sūras 57, 59, 61, 62, 64, 87 which begin with the perfect, imperfect, or imperative of the verb sabbaha ('to glorify'). Tirmidhī and Abū Dāwūd transmitted it, and Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form on the authority of Khalid b. Ma'dān. Tirmidhī said this is a hasan gharīb tradition.

Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A sūra in the Qur’ān containing thirty verses interceded for a man till his sins were forgiven. It was ‘Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom.'” (Qur’ān, 67) Ahmad, Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, Nasā’i and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbās said that one of the Prophet's companions set up his tent over a grave without realising that it was a grave, and it contained a man who was reciting the sūra, “Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom,” up to the end. He went and told the Prophet, who said, “It is the defender; it is the protector which is protecting him from God's punishment.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, .saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Jabir said it was the Prophet’s custom not to go to sleep till he had recited “A. L. M The sending down,” (Qur’ān, 32) and “Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom.” Ahmad, Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a sahīh tradition. The same is said in Sharh as-sunna, but in al-Masābīh it is called gharīb.

Ibn ‘Abbās and Anas b. Mālik reported God’s messenger as saying that “When is shaken” (Qur’ān, 99) is equivalent to half the Qur’ān, “Say, He is God, One” (Qur’ān, 112) is equivalent to a third of the Qur’ān, and “Say, O infidels” (Qur’ān, 109) is equivalent to a quarter of the Qur’ān. Tirmidhī transmitted it.

Ma‘qil b Yasār reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone says three times in the morning, ‘I seek refuge in God, the Hearer and Knower, from the accursed devil’, and recites three verses at the end of sūra al-Hashr (Qur’ān, 59), God will put in charge of him seventy thousand angels who will invoke blessings on him till the evening, and if he dies that day he will die as a martyr. If anyone says them in the evening he will be in that rank.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a gharīb tradition.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, 'If anyone recites two hundred times daily, ‘Say, He is God, One’, the sins of fifty years will be wiped out, unless he is in debt.” Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it. The latter’s version has “fifty times”, and he did not mention “unless he is in debt.”

While I was travelling with God's messenger between *al-Juhfa and al-Abwa’ a wind and intense darkness enveloped us, whereupon God’s messenger began to seek refuge in God, reciting “I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn” and “I seek refuge in the Lord of men.”(Qur’ān, 113 &114) He then said, “Use them, ‘Uqba, when seeking refuge in God, for no one can use anything to compare with them for the purpose.” *Al Juhfa- a village about 82 miles from Mecca. Al Abwa’- a village between twenty and thirty miles nearer Medina than al-Juhfa. Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

We went out one rainy and intensely dark night to look for God’s messenger, and when we caught up on him he said to me, “Say.” I asked him what I was to say, and he replied, “If you recite ‘Say, He is God, One’ and al-Mu'awidhatān (The last 3 sūras of the Qur’ān) three times morning and evening, they will serve you for every purpose.” Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd and Nasā’i transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Āmir said that when he asked God’s messenger whether he should recite sūra Hūd (Qur’ān, 11) or sūra Yūsuf (Qur’ān, 12), he told him he could recite nothing more effective with God than “Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn.” Ahmad, Nasā’i and Dārimī transmitted it.

Aifa‘ b. ‘Abd al-Kilā‘ī told of a man who asked God’s messenger which sūra of the Qur’ān was greatest and was told that it is “Say, He is God, One.” He asked which verse of the Qur’ān was greatest and was told that it is the Throne Verse, “God, there is no god but He, the Living, he Eternal.” He asked God’s prophet which verse he would like to bring good to him and his people and was told, ‘‘The end of sūra al-Baqara, for it is one of the treasures of God’s mercy from under His Throne which He gave to this people, and there is no good in this world and the next which it does not include.” Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Abd al-Mālik b. ‘Umair reported in mursal form that God's mes­senger said, “Fātihat al-Kitāb contains healing for every disease.” Dārimī and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-īmān, transmitted it.

Jubair b. Nufair reported God’s messenger as saying, “God finished sūra al Baqara with two verses which I have been given from His treasure which is under the Throne ; so learn them and teach them to your womenfolk, for they are a blessing, a means of approach [to God] and a supplication.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Ka‘b reported God's messenger as saying, “Recite sūra Hūd (Qur’ān, 9) on Fridays.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Abū Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites sūra al-Kahf (Qur’ān, 18) on Friday, light will shine brightly for him till the next Friday.” Baihaqī transmitted it in [Kitāb] al-Da‘awāt al-kabir.

Recite the rescuer, which is A.L.M. The sending down (Qur’ān, 32) for I have heard that a man who had committed many sins used to recite it and nothing else. It spread its wing over him and said, “My Lord, forgive him, for he often used to recite me so the Lord most high made it an intercessor for him and said, “Record for him a good deed and raise him a degree in place of every sin.” Khālid said also: It will dispute on behalf of the one who recites it when he is in his grave saying, “O God, if I am a part of Thy Book, make me an intercessor for him; but if I am not a part of Thy Book, blot me out of it.” It will be like a bird putting its wing on him, it will intercede for him and will protect him from the punishment in the grave. He said the same about “Blessed is He.” (Qur’ān, 67) Khālid did not go to sleep at night till he had recited them. Tā’ūs said they were given sixty virtues more than any other sūra in the Qur’ān. Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Atā b. Abū Rabāh told of hearing that God’s messenger said, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn at the beginning of the day, his wants will be supplied.” Dārimī transmitted it in mursal form.

Ma'qil b. Yasār al-Muzanī reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone recites Yā’ Sīn (Qur’ān, 36) out of a desire for God's favour, his past sins will be forgiven him; so recite it over those of you who are dying.” Baihaqī transmitted it in Shu'ab al-īmān.

37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained as meaning that this is the section of the Qur’ān which contains many shorter sūras. Dārimī transmitted it.

‘Alī said that God's messenger used to like this sūra, “Glorify the name of thy most high Lord.”(Qur’ān, 87) Ahmad transmitted it.