Tafsir Ibn Kathir

06 Jul 2017 13:49

The Virtues of Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded on the authority of Uqbah bin Amir that the Messenger of Allah said,

أَلَمْ تَرَ آيَاتٍ أُنْزِلَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ لَمْ يُرَ مِثْلُهُنَّ قَطُّ:

Do you not see that there have been Ayat revealed to me tonight the like of which has not been seen before, They are

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ

Say: "I seek refuge with, the Lord of Al-Falaq.''

and;

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.''

This Hadith was recorded by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i.

At-Tirmidhi said, Hasan Sahih.

 Another Narration

Imam Ahmad recorded from Uqbah bin Amir that he said, "While I was leading the Messenger of Allah along one of these paths he said,

O Uqbah! Will you not ride,

I was afraid that this might be considered an act ofdisobedience. So the Messenger of Allah got down and I rode for a while. Then he rode.

Then he said,

يَا عُقْبَةُ، أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ سُورَتَيْنِ مِنْ خَيْرِ سُورَتَيْنِ قَرَأَ بِهِمَا النَّاسُ؟

O Uqbah! Should I not teach you two Surahs that are of the best two Surahs that the people recite?

I said, Of course, O Messenger of Allah.'

So he taught me to recite

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ  Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.'' 

and

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.''

Then the call was given to begin the prayer and the Messenger of Allah went forward (to lead the people), and he recited them in the prayer. Afterwards he passed by me and said,

What do you think, O `Uqayb!

اقْرَأْ بِهِمَا كُلَّمَا نِمْتَ وَكُلَّمَا قُمْتَ

"Recite these two Surahs whenever you go to sleep and whenever you get up.''

An-Nasa'i and Abu Dawud both recorded this Hadith.