Question:
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrates that a companion unknowingly set up a tent over a grave and heard the recitation of Surah Al-Mulk from inside the grave. The deceased recited the Surah from beginning to end. When this incident was reported to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), he said:
“This Surah prevents the punishment of the grave and grants deliverance from it.”
(Tirmidhi)
Is this Hadith authentic?
Answer:
This narration is found in:
- Jami’ al-Tirmidhi under “Chapters on the Virtues of the Quran: The Virtue of Surah Al-Mulk” (Hadith No. 2890)
- Mishkat al-Masabih (Hadith No. 2154)
- Ithbat ‘Adhab al-Qabr by Al-Bayhaqi (Hadith No. 146)
However, Imam Al-Bayhaqi states regarding this narration:
«تفرد به يحيي بن عمرو بن مالك وهو ضعيف»
“Yahya bin Amr bin Malik is the sole narrator of this, and he is weak.”
Scholarly Analysis of the Narrator:
The narrator Yahya bin Amr bin Malik Al-Nakri Al-Basri has been criticized by several prominent scholars of Hadith:
- Imam Yahya bin Ma’in (رحمه الله) – Declared him weak.
- Imam Abu Zur’ah (رحمه الله) – Labeled him unreliable.
- Imam Abu Dawood (رحمه الله) – Marked him as weak.
- Imam Al-Nasa’i (رحمه الله) – Considered him weak.
- Al-Dulabi (رحمه الله) – Also confirmed his weakness.
- Hammad bin Zaid (رحمه الله) – Accused him of lying.
Imam Al-Aqeeli (رحمه الله) said:
“His narrations are not followed up by other reliable narrators.”
Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) commented:
“He is of no significance.”
Imam Al-Saji (رحمه الله) said:
“He narrates rejected (munkar) Hadith.”
References for the Narrator’s Weakness:
- Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (6/165)
- Al-Mughni fi al-Du’afa (2/525)
- Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil (9/732)
- Mizan al-I’tidal (4/399)
- Al-Du’afa al-Kabir (4/42)
Conclusion:
This narration is not authentic due to the weakness of the narrator Yahya bin Amr bin Malik Al-Nakri. Hence, it cannot be relied upon as evidence for the virtue of Surah Al-Mulk in preventing the punishment of the grave.
