This article is essentially a research review concerning the narrations that have been transmitted regarding the virtue of reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday. Among the common people it is well known that reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday protects one from the trial of the Dajjal and grants a person light. But the question is: is this established from authentic hadiths, or did it become popular only on the basis of weak and unestablished narrations?
With this aim, Sheikh Abdullah bin Fawzan al-Fawzan (teacher at Riyadh University) wrote a research paper, whose Urdu translation has been done by Abu Abdul Aziz Muhammad Yusuf Madani in his blog.
According to the Sheikh’s research, a total of 7 hadiths have been narrated on this subject. Among them, the strongest narration is that of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him). Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“وھو أقوی ما ورد فی سورۃ الکہف” (meaning: among the narrations reported concerning Surah al-Kahf, this is the strongest).
In the following lines, each narration will be presented with its original chain, and the statements of the imams of hadith will be cited everywhere so that the reader may receive guidance directly from the sources.
✧ First Hadith: Narration of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)
This hadith is the basic and original narration. The chain of this hadith depends on “Abu Hashim → Abu Mijlaz → Qais bin Abbad → Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)”.
◉ Narration 1: Through the chain of Sufyan al-Thawri
It has been narrated by the following major muhaddithun:
- Imam Abd al-Razzaq
Reference: (al-Musannaf: 1/186, 3/378)
- Imam al-Tabarani
Reference: (al-Du’a: 1/141)
- Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah
Reference: (al-Musannaf: 1/3, 10/450)
- Nu’aym bin Hammad
Reference: (al-Fitan: 2/264)
- Imam al-Nasai
Reference: (al-Sunan al-Kubra: 9/37, Amal al-Yawm wal-Laylah: 83, 954)
- Imam al-Hakim
Reference: (al-Mustadrak: 1/564, 4/511)
- Imam al-Bayhaqi
Reference: (Shu’ab al-Iman: 2/112)
All these narrators have transmitted it as a statement of Abu Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him) (mawquf), that:
“Whoever performed wudu and, after finishing, recited this supplication: سُبْحَانَکَ اللّٰھُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِکَ، أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُکَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَیْکَ … and whoever recites Surah al-Kahf the way it was revealed, then if he encounters the Dajjal, he will not be able to overcome him, and a light will be raised for him up to Makkah”.
✅ Imam al-Hakim said: “Its chain is authentic, although Bukhari and Muslim did not narrate it”
❌ However, Yusuf bin Asbat narrated this narration marfu’an, but he is weak. Imam Abu Hatim said: “He was a worshipper, but he would commit many errors”
Therefore, the more correct view is that this narration is mawquf.
🔖 Conclusion: If the reliance is placed on the narration of the critical imams (Ibn Mahdi, Waki’, Ibn al-Mubarak, etc.), then this hadith is mawquf upon Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), and there is no specification of “on Friday” in it.
✧ Second Hadith: Narration of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
This narration has been reported by Imam Ibn Mardawayh in his Tafsir, and through his route Diya al-Maqdisi has mentioned it in his book al-Ahadith al-Mukhtarah.
The chain is:
Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Ayyub → Sa’id bin Muhammad al-Jarmi → Abdullah bin Mus’ab bin Mandhur bin Zayd bin Khalid → Ali bin al-Husayn → from his father → Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on Friday, he will remain protected from every trial for eight days, and if the Dajjal emerges, he will also be protected from his evil”.
◉ Examination of the chain
- The narration depends on Abdullah bin Mus’ab.
- The muhaddithun have called him majhul (unknown).
- Hafiz al-Iraqi narrates: “Abdullah bin Mus’ab and his father are both majhul (unknown)”
Reference: (Takhrij al-Ihya: 1/447).
- Imam Ibn al-Qattan, Imam al-Dhahabi, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar have also declared him majhul
Reference: (Mizan al-I’tidal: 2/506, Lisan al-Mizan: 5/16).
- Hafiz al-Iraqi narrates: “Abdullah bin Mus’ab and his father are both majhul (unknown)”
- Diya al-Maqdisi also said: “There is a narrator in its chain whom I do not know”
Reference: (Lisan al-Mizan: 5/16).
❌ Therefore this narration is weak and not fit for use as evidence.
✧ Third Hadith: Narration of Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
It has also been narrated by Ibn Mardawayh, and through his route Diya al-Maqdisi has mentioned it in his book
The chain is:
Muhammad bin Ali bin Yazid bin Sinan → Ishaq bin Ibrahim → Isma’il bin Khalid al-Maqdisi → Muhammad bin Khalid al-Basri → Khalid bin Sa’id bin Abi Maryam → Nafi’ → Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
“Whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on Friday, light will spread for him from beneath his feet up to the sky, which will shine on the Day of Resurrection, and his sins between two Fridays will be forgiven”.
◉ Examination of the chain
- The narration depends on Khalid bin Sa’id bin Abi Maryam, and he is majhul.
Reference: (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib: 3/95)
- Imam Ibn al-Madini said: “We do not know him”.
- In this chain there is also Muhammad bin Khalid al-Basri, whom the muhaddithun have declared a liar (kadhdhab).
Hafiz al-Dhahabi: “احسب محمد بن خالد وضعہ” meaning: “In my opinion Muhammad bin Khalid fabricated this hadith”
Reference: (Talkhis al-Mustadrak).
Therefore this narration is either mawdu’ or at least “severely weak” (shadid al-da’if).
✅ Imam al-Nawawi
and Hafiz Ibn Kathir
have also called it weak. ✅ Sheikh al-Albani has also made strong remarks upon it
🔖 Conclusion:
- Narration of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): weak (its reliance is upon an unknown narrator).
- Narration of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): severely weak or mawdu’ (it contains a liar narrator).
✧ Fourth Hadith: Narration of Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
Imam Ibn Mardawayh has narrated that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Shall I not tell you of a surah whose greatness has filled the space between the heavens and the earth? Whoever writes it will receive a reward equal to that. Whoever recites it on Friday will have his sins forgiven from one Friday to the next, and three more days besides. And whoever recites its last five verses before sleeping, Allah will raise him at whatever part of the night He wills.” The Companions said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He ﷺ said: “It is Surah Ashab al-Kahf.”
◉ Investigation of the Chain
- The complete chain of this narration is not available.
- There are also several defects in the wording.
- For this reason, this narration has not been considered reliable.
✧ Fifth and Sixth Hadith: The Narration of Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them)
Imam al-Ghazali mentioned in his book Ihya Ulum al-Din (1/187) that:
“It is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurairah that whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on the night or day of Friday, there will be light for him from the place of recitation to Makkah, his sins will be forgiven until the second Friday and three more days, seventy thousand angels will send blessings upon him until morning, and he will be protected from illness, major calamity, pneumonia, white patches, leprosy, and the trial of the Dajjal.”
◉ Investigation of the Chain
- Hafiz Iraqi said: “I have not found this hadith”
Reference: (Takhrij al-Ihya: 1/143)
.
- Zubaidi said: “Its chain contains Isma’il ibn Abi Ziyad, who is matruk (abandoned). Daraqutni called him a liar”
Reference: (Ithaf al-Sadah 6/336)
.
- The narration of Ibn Abbas was mentioned by Abu al-Shaykh al-Isfahani, but it also contains severely weak narrators.
- Some critics said: “This hadith is mawdu’ (fabricated)”
Reference: (Shawkani, al-Fawa’id al-Majmu’ah: p. 311)
.
❌ Therefore, this narration is completely unreliable.
🔖 Result:
- The hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): unknown chain + doubtful wording → not established.
- The hadith of Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them): mawdu’ or extremely weak.
✧ Seventh Hadith: The Narration of Isma’il ibn Rafi’
Imam Ibn al-Durays narrated in his book Fada’il al-Qur’an (p. 96, no. 203):
Yazid ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Tayalisi → Isma’il ibn Ayyash → Isma’il ibn Rafi’ says: “It has reached us that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said …” (then he mentioned the virtue).
◉ Investigation of the Chain
- This narration is with the wording “balaghana” (it has reached us), meaning it is mursal/mu’dal.
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
“This chain is mu’dal.”
Reference: (al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyyah: 4/230)
❌ Therefore this narration is weak and not a proof.
✧ The Athar of Abu al-Muhallab al-Jarmi
Ibn al-Durays
narrated:
Muhammad ibn Muqatil al-Marwazi → Khalid al-Wasiti → al-Jurayri → Abu al-Muhallab al-Jarmi says: “Whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on Friday, there will be expiation for him until the next Friday.”
◉ Investigation of the Chain
- Abu al-Muhallab al-Jarmi (Amr or Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu’awiyah) is thiqah (trustworthy).
Reference: (Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 7/126, Tahdhib al-Kamal 34/329)
- The muhaddithun have described this chain as “لا بأس بہ” (meaning acceptable).
✅ Therefore this athar is sahih and reliable, but it is not a marfu’ hadith; it is the statement of a Companion/Tabi’i.
✧ Overall Summary of the Investigation
The research on the narrations concerning reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday yields the following results:
➊ The narration of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him)
- It is the strongest of them, but it too is mawquf (a statement of a Companion).
- The condition “on Friday” is not established in it.
➋ The narrations of Ali, Ibn Umar, Aisha, Ibn Abbas and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them)
- All of them are weak or mawdu’.
- They contain chain defects which the muhaddithun considered unacceptable.
➌ The narration of Isma’il ibn Rafi’
- It is mu’dal, and therefore weak.
➍ The athar of Abu al-Muhallab al-Jarmi
- It is acceptable (the chain is sahih, la ba’sa bihi).
- It mentions that whoever recites Surah al-Kahf on Friday, there will be expiation for him until the next Friday.
- However, it is not a marfu’ hadith but the statement of a Tabi’i.
✧ Statements of the Imams of Hadith
- Imam al-Nasa’i: “Only the mawquf version is authentic”
Reference: (al-Sunan al-Kubra: 9/348).
- Imam al-Bayhaqi: “It is well known that this hadith is mawquf”
Reference: (Shu’ab al-Iman: 2/474).
- Imam al-Dhahabi: “Its being mawquf is more correct”
Reference: (al-Da’awat al-Kabir: 1/42).
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar: “The mawquf narration is sahih”
Reference: (Zad al-Ma’ad: 1/376, al-Talkhis al-Habir: 1/102).
✧ Conclusion of the Investigation
📌 After the research, the following is clear:
- The general virtue of reciting Surah al-Kahf is correct and sahih (as other sahih hadiths indicate, that it provides protection from the trial of the Dajjal).
- However, the specification of reciting it on Friday is not established by a sahih and explicit hadith.
- Nevertheless, on the basis of some athar of the Companions and Tabi’un, reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday may be called recommended (mustahabb) with good opinion, since it is not an innovation or an act contrary to the Shariah.
✧ Jurisprudential Aspect
The jurists and muhaddithun have written that:
- Since the general virtues of reciting Surah al-Kahf are established from sahih hadiths, and reciting it on Friday is mentioned in the athar of Companions/Tabi’un, there is no harm in reciting Surah al-Kahf on Friday; rather, it is a means of reward and merit.
- However, believing that it is an “obligatory sunnah” or a “special act of Friday” is not definitively established on the basis of weak narrations.
✅ Summary:
Reciting Surah al-Kahf is generally a cause of light and protection, but a marfu’ sahih hadith specifying “on Friday” does not exist. However, on the basis of athar and some weak narrations, the muhaddithun have accepted it in the category of virtues of deeds.
