Surah al-Mulk: 6 Strong Proofs of Protection from Grave Punishment

Question:

Does reciting Surah al-Mulk save a person from the punishment of the grave? Please provide guidance in the light of authentic hadiths.

Answer:

الحمد للہ، والصلاۃ والسلام علی رسول اللہ، أما بعد!

The following hadiths have been narrated concerning the virtue of Surah al-Mulk (67. تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ۔۔۔الخ):

1. Hadith of Ibn Abbas

Text of the hadith:
Yahya bin Amr bin Malik al-Nakri narrated from his father (Amr bin Malik al-Nakri), from Abu al-Jawza, who narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):

A companion of the Prophet ﷺ pitched a tent over a grave, not knowing that it was a grave. Then he saw a man reciting Surah al-Mulk until he completed it. He came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: O Messenger of Allah! I pitched a tent over a grave without knowing that it was a grave, and I saw a man reciting Surah al-Mulk until he completed it.
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“هي المانعة، هي المنجية، تنجيه من عذاب القبر”
“It is the preventer, it is the deliverer, it saves him from the punishment of the grave.”

Reference:

Status of the hadith:
This hadith is da’if (weak).
– Imam al-Bayhaqi: Yahya bin Amr Malik is weak

– Hafiz al-Dhahabi: Da’if

– Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani: Da’if, and said that Hammad bin Zayd called him a liar (kadhdhab)

2. Hadith of Abu Hurairah – the intercession of the thirty-verse surah

Text of the hadith:
From Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“إن سورة من القرآن ثلاثون آية شفعت لرجل حتى غفر له، وهي تبارك الذي بيده الملك”
“A surah of the Quran consisting of thirty verses interceded for its reciter until he was forgiven, and it is Surah Tabarak.”

Reference:

Status of the hadith:
– Hasan li-dhatihi
– Imam Abu Dawud

, Ibn Majah

, Hafiz Ibn Hibban

, al-Hakim

and Imam al-Dhahabi have declared it sahih.

Notes:
– The criticism made by some is vague and rejected.
– If Shu’bah narrates from Qatadah, his hearing (sama’) is considered preserved.

3. Hadith of Anas – Surah Tabarak admitted him into Paradise

Text of the hadith:
From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“سورة من القرآن ما هي إلا ثلاثون آية خاصمت عن صاحبها حتى أدخلته الجنة، وهي سورة تبارك”
“A surah of the Quran consisting of thirty verses continued to defend its reciter until it admitted him into Paradise, and it is Surah Tabarak.”

Reference:

Note:
– The authenticity (tawthiq) of one of its narrators, Abu Ayyub Sulayman bin Dawud bin Yahya, is required.

4. Hadith of Jabir – the practice of the Prophet ﷺ

Text of the hadith:
From Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ would not sleep without reciting Surah al-Sajdah and Surah al-Mulk.

“كان لا ينام حتى يقرأ: الم تنزيل، وتبارك الذي بيده الملك”

Reference:

Details of the narration:
– This hadith has been narrated by Layth bin Abi Sulaym, who is a da’if narrator.
– However, Mughirah bin Muslim (saduq) narrated the same report from Abu al-Zubayr al-Makki as well

.

The case of Abu al-Zubayr:
– He is a mudallis narrator, and this narration is through ‘an, so the chain is da’if.
– Abu al-Zubayr was asked: Did you hear this narration from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) ? He said: It was related to me by Safwan or Ibn Safwan as a mursal report

.
– Hafiz Ibn Hajar: This narration is mursal or mu’dal

.
– Shaykh Salim bin Eid al-Hilali also declared it mursal

.

5. Statement of Abdullah bin Mas’ud

Text:
Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“يؤتى رجل من جوانب قبره، فجعلت سورة من القرآن تجادل عنه حتى منعته”
A surah of the Quran defended a man in his grave until it saved him from the punishment.
Murrah the Tabi’i said: Myself and Masruq reflected, and this surah turned out to be Surah al-Mulk.

Reference:

– chain hasan
Other chains:

, etc.

Second statement:
Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“سورة تبارك هي المعانعة، تمنع بإذن الله من عذاب القبر”

Reference:

– chain hasan

6. Statement of Khalid bin Ma’dan (Tabi’i)

Text:
Khalid bin Ma’dan (a Tabi’i, died 103 AH) used to recite Surah al-Sajdah and Surah al-Mulk before sleeping, and would say:

“These two surahs will intercede for their reciter and save him from the punishment of the grave.”

Reference:

,

Status of the hadith:
– It is hasan due to the narration of Abdullah bin Salih, the scribe of al-Layth.

Principled Clarification:

– Both sahih li-dhatihi and hasan li-dhatihi hadiths are proof (hujjah).
– Reciting Surah Tabarak before sleeping is a sahih practice and is a cause of reward (thawab).

Conclusion:

– Some narrations are da’if, but the presence of other hadiths of sahih and hasan grade makes it clear that
reciting Surah al-Mulk can become a means of salvation from the punishment of the grave, by the permission of Allah.

ھٰذا ما عندي، واللہ أعلم بالصواب