أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يقرأ المسبحات قبل أن يرقد وقال: إن فيهن آية أفضل من ألف آية
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to recite the Musabbihat before going to sleep, and he said: “Among them is a verse better than a thousand verses.”
Virtues and benefits of Surah As-Saf
Surah As-Saf is one of the “Musabbihat”, the surahs opening with the glorification of Allah that the Prophet ﷺ recited before going to sleep, saying: “Among them is a verse better than a thousand verses.” It also belongs to the Mufassal. It urges the believers to support Allah’s religion, to match their deeds to their words, and gives them tidings of victory.
Its virtues at a glance
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One of the Musabbihat recited before sleeping
The Prophet ﷺ recited before sleeping the Musabbihat, the surahs that open with the glorification of Allah, As-Saf among them, and said: “Among them is a verse better than a thousand verses.”
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A surah of the Mufassal
It belongs to the Mufassal, given to the Prophet ﷺ as an extra by which he was favoured over the other prophets, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “… and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
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An exhortation to support the religion
Its purpose is to urge the believers to support the religion: it forbids words that contradict deeds, calls to strive in Allah’s way with wealth and lives, points to the trade that saves, and urges following the example of the disciples, the helpers of Allah.
When to recite it
- Every night before sleeping, with the other Musabbihat, following the Prophet ﷺ, according to the hadith of Al-’Irbad ibn Sariyah reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi
Hadiths on its virtues
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
What the surah is about
- The opening glorification of Allah, far above all that does not befit Him
- The prohibition of saying what one does not do
- What Musa said to his people and the harm he suffered from them
- The call of ’Isa to the Children of Israel and his good news of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- The disbelievers’ lies against the truth and their hatred of its light prevailing
- A call to the believers to strive with wealth and lives, after the example of the disciples
- Glad tidings of the believers’ victory over the disbelievers
Main purpose: To urge the believers to support the religion.
About Surah As-Saf
As-Saf is an entirely Medinan surah, the 61st in the order of the Qur’an, with fourteen verses, revealed after At-Taghabun and before Al-Fath. It has borne this name since the Prophet’s ﷺ time: Ahmad reports from Abdullah ibn Salam that some companions wondered who would ask the Prophet ﷺ about the deeds most beloved to Allah; he had them gathered and recited this whole surah to them. Al-Alusi says it is also called “the Disciples” (Al-Hawariyyun) and “the Surah of ’Isa”.
Detailed study in Arabic
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
- التعريف بسورة الصف
- فضائل سورة الصف
- موضوعات سورة الصف
- تلخيص سورة الصف
- 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