كان النبي ﷺ يقرأ في الجمعة في صلاة الفجر ﴿الم (1) تَنْزِيلُ﴾ السجدة، و﴿هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ﴾
On Fridays, in the dawn prayer, the Prophet ﷺ used to recite “Alif-Lam-Mim. Tanzil” (As-Sajdah) and “Has there come upon man” (Al-Insan).
Virtues and benefits of Surah Al-Insan
The Prophet ﷺ recited Surah Al-Insan (“Has there come upon man”) in the dawn prayer on Fridays, together with As-Sajdah, as Al-Bukhari and Muslim report, and he paired it with Al-Qiyamah in a single rak’ah. A surah of the Mufassal, it reminds man of his origin, his destiny and what Allah has prepared in Paradise for His allies.
Its virtues at a glance
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Recited by the Prophet ﷺ at Friday dawn
In the dawn prayer on Fridays, the Prophet ﷺ recited As-Sajdah, then Al-Insan in the second rak’ah. Ibn Taymiyyah explains that both surahs speak of what happened and will happen on that day: the creation of Adam, the return to Allah and the gathering of the servants.
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One of the paired surahs recited in one rak’ah
In the night prayer, the Prophet ﷺ recited two similar surahs in each rak’ah; he thus joined Al-Insan and Al-Qiyamah in one rak’ah, as Ibn Mas’ud reports.
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A surah of the Mufassal
It belongs to the Mufassal, given to the Prophet ﷺ as an extra grace by which he was favoured over the other prophets, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “I was given in place of the Torah the seven long ones… and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
When to recite it
- In the Friday dawn prayer, in the second rak’ah after As-Sajdah, as the Prophet ﷺ used to do
- In the night prayer, paired with Al-Qiyamah in a single rak’ah
Hadiths on its virtues
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أتاه رجل فقال: إني أقرأ المفصل في ركعة. فقال: هذًّا كهذ الشعر، ونثرًا كنثر الدقل. ولكن رسول الله ﷺ كان يقرأ النظائر في كل ركعة… و﴿هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ﴾ و﴿لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ﴾ في ركعة
A man came to him and said: “I recite the whole Mufassal in one rak’ah.” He replied: “Rattling it off like poetry, scattering it like dry dates! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite paired, similar surahs in each rak’ah… such as ‘Has there come upon man’ and ‘I swear by the Day of Resurrection’ in one rak’ah.”
What the surah is about
- Allah’s blessings upon man: created from a mingled drop, given hearing and sight, guided to the path
- The bliss prepared for those who obey Allah and fear Him
- A warning to the disbelievers of their bad end
- Proof that this Qur’an is from Allah
- The Qur’an, a favour to the Messenger ﷺ; the order to be patient, remember Allah, prostrate and glorify Him
- Allah’s will is above every will
Main purpose: To remind man of his origin and destiny, and to describe what Allah has prepared in Paradise for His allies.
About Surah Al-Insan
Surah Al-Insan (“Man”) is Meccan, as its style, subject and aims indicate: like the Meccan surahs, it dwells on the good end of the believers and the bad end of the deniers. It is the 76th surah in the order of the Qur’an and has thirty-one verses without disagreement. It is also called “Hal ata ’ala-l-insan”, Ad-Dahr (“Time”), Al-Abrar (“the Righteous”) and Al-Amshaj (“the Mingled”), after words found in it.
Tafsir of Surah Al-Insan Listen to Al-Insan 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 الإنسان
- فضائل سورة الإنسان
- موضوعات سورة الإنسان
- مقاصد سورة الإنسان
- 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