بنو إسرائيل، والكهف، ومريم، وطه، والأنبياء، هن من العتاق الأُوَل، وهنَّ من تلادي
Bani Isra’il (Al-Isra), Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and Al-Anbya are among the earliest and finest, and they are part of my oldest possession.
Virtues and benefits of Surah Al-Anbya
Al-Anbya is among the first surahs revealed; Ibn Mas’ud said: “Bani Isra’il, Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and Al-Anbya are among the earliest and finest, and they are part of my oldest possession.” It is one of the Mi’un, given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Psalms, and contains Jonah’s supplication, of which the Prophet ﷺ said that no Muslim makes it for anything without being answered.
Its virtues at a glance
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Among the earliest surahs
Ibn Mas’ud said: “Bani Isra’il, Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and Al-Anbya are among the earliest and finest, and they are part of my oldest possession”, meaning among the first revealed, or the most precious learned long ago.
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Jonah’s answered supplication
It contains Jonah’s supplication in the belly of the whale: “There is no god but You, glory be to You! I have been among the wrongdoers.” The Prophet ﷺ said that no Muslim ever makes it for anything without Allah answering him.
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One of the Mi’un
It is one of the Mi’un (surahs of a hundred verses or more), given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Psalms, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “I was given in place of the Torah the seven long ones, and in place of the Psalms the Mi’un.”
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An admonition that shakes the heart
According to Al-Alusi, it is a mighty surah carrying a powerful admonition: it opens with “Their reckoning has drawn near for people, while they turn away in heedlessness”, shaking hearts out of heedlessness to prepare for the Last Day.
When to recite it
- When supplicating for any need, with Jonah’s supplication in verse 87, according to the hadith of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (At-Tirmidhi)
Hadiths on its virtues
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
دعوة ذي النون إذ دعا وهو في بطن الحوت: ﴿لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين﴾، فإنه لم يدعُ بها رجل مسلم في شيء قط إلا استجاب الله له
The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Jonah) when he called out in the belly of the whale: “There is no god but You, glory be to You! I have been among the wrongdoers.” No Muslim ever makes it for anything without Allah answering him.
لا حاجة لي في قطيعتك، نزلت اليوم سورة أذهلتنا عن الدنيا: ﴿اقترب للناس حسابهم وهم في غفلة معرضون﴾
A man wanted to give Amir a share of a valley he had been granted; Amir replied: “I have no need of your grant: a surah was revealed today that has made us forget this world: ‘Their reckoning has drawn near for people, while they turn away in heedlessness.’”
What the surah is about
- The warning of the resurrection and the certainty of its coming
- The idolaters’ objections to the Prophet ﷺ and his call, their refutation and comfort for the Prophet ﷺ
- Proofs of Allah’s oneness and of His all-encompassing power
- Stories of the prophets: Moses and Aaron, Abraham and Lot, Noah and Job, David and Solomon, Jonah, Zechariah…
- The unity of the prophets’ message: calling all people to worship Allah sincerely
- A reminder of what befell earlier nations for denying their messengers
- The signs of the Hour, its terrors and people’s state on that Day
- The good end for the believers, and the Prophet ﷺ sent as a mercy to the worlds
Main purpose: To establish the truth of the message and show the unity of the prophets’ goal and Allah’s care for them.
About Surah Al-Anbya
Al-Anbya (the Prophets) is a Meccan surah, the 21st in the order of the Qur’an and the 71st in the order of revelation; it has one hundred and twelve verses. It has no other known name. It is so called because it names sixteen prophets as well as Maryam: only Surah Al-An’am names more. Al-Alusi said: “It is a mighty surah, carrying a powerful admonition.”
Tafsir of Surah Al-Anbya Listen to Al-Anbya by other reciters
Detailed study in Arabic
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
- التعريف بسورة الأنبياء
- سبب تسمية سورة الأنبياء
- فضائل سورة الأنبياء
- مقاصد سورة الأنبياء
- موضوعات سورة الأنبياء
- تلخيص سورة الأنبياء
- الأحاديث الواردة في الفضل ودرجتها
Virtues of other surahs
All 114 surahs- Virtues of Surah Al-Kahf A light between two Fridays and protection from the Dajjal
- Virtues of Surah Al-Mulk Intercedes for its reciter and protects from the grave’s punishment
- Virtues of Surah Ya-Sin Whoever recites it at night seeking Allah’s Face is forgiven
- Virtues of Surah Al-Baqarah Satan flees the house where it is recited; it is the peak of the Qur’an
- Virtues of Surah Al-Fatihah The greatest surah of the Qur’an, without which there is no prayer
- Virtues of Surah Al-Ikhlas It equals a third of the Qur’an; loving it earns Allah’s love
- Virtues of Surah Al-Waqi’ah One of the surahs that greyed the Prophet ﷺ; he recited it at Fajr
- Virtues of Surah Ar-Rahman Recited by the Prophet ﷺ to the jinn, who responded better than people
- Ayat al-Kursi The greatest verse in the Book of Allah, a guard against Satan