Critical Analysis of Seven Hadiths on Reciting Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday
Research: Shaykh ʿAbdullah bin Fawzān bin Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (Assistant Professor, College of Teachers, Riyadh)
Translation: Abu ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Muhammad Yūsuf Madanī
❖ Introduction
This article is a detailed research review regarding the narrations reported about the virtue of reciting Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday.
Among the general public, it is widely believed that reciting this Surah on Friday protects one from the trial of Dajjāl and grants light. The question is: Is this belief established through authentic Hadith, or is it based on weak and unauthentic narrations?
Shaykh ʿAbdullah bin Fawzān prepared a research paper on this issue, translated into Urdu by Abu ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Muhammad Yūsuf Madanī.
According to his research, there are a total of seven Hadiths in this chapter. Among them, the strongest is the narration of Abu Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه. Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله stated:
"وھو أقوی ما ورد فی سورۃ الکہف"
(This is the strongest narration reported regarding Sūrah al-Kahf.)
(Fayḍ al-Qadīr: 6/198)
✿ 1st Hadith: Abu Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه
- Reported by major Muhaddithīn including: ʿAbd al-Razzāq, al-Ṭabarānī, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Nuʿaym bin Ḥammād, al-Nasāʾī, al-Ḥākim, al-Bayhaqī.
- All narrated it mawqūf (as the saying of Abu Saʿīd).
Content: Whoever makes wuḍūʾ, recites the prescribed supplication, and then recites Sūrah al-Kahf as revealed, if he encounters the Dajjāl, he will not be overcome by him, and he will have light extending up to Makkah.
(al-Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq: 1/186, ḥadīth 730)
- Imam al-Ḥākim: “Its chain is authentic, though not reported by Bukhārī or Muslim.”
- However, Yūsuf bin Aṣbaṭ narrated it as marfūʿ (Prophetic attribution), but he is weak.
Conclusion: This narration is authentic mawqūf, not marfūʿ. Also, there is no specification of Friday in it.✿ 2nd Hadith: ʿAlī رضي الله عنه
Narrated by Ibn Mardawayh in his Tafsīr and later mentioned by al-Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī.
Content: Whoever recites Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday will remain safe from every trial for eight days, and if the Dajjāl appears, he will be protected from him.
- The narration depends on ʿAbdullah bin Muṣʿab, who is majhūl (unknown).
- Imām ʿIrāqī, Ibn al-Qaṭṭān, al-Dhahabī, and Ibn Ḥajar all declared him unknown.
Conclusion: Weak narration, not reliable.✿ 3rd Hadith: ʿAbdullah bin ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما
Reported by Ibn Mardawayh and al-Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī.
Content: Whoever recites Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday, a light will spread from beneath his feet up to the heavens, shining on the Day of Judgment, and his sins between the two Fridays will be forgiven.
- The chain contains Khālid bin Saʿīd bin Abī Maryam (majhūl).
- Also, Muḥammad bin Khālid al-Baṣrī, who is a fabricator.
Conclusion: Fabricated or severely weak. Declared weak by Imam al-Nawawī, Ibn Kathīr, and al-Albānī.✿ 4th Hadith: ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها
Narrated by Ibn Mardawayh.
Content: Whoever recites it on Friday will have forgiveness until the next Friday plus three additional days, etc.
- The full chain is not preserved.
- Contains problematic wording.
Conclusion: Unreliable.✿ 5th & 6th Hadith: Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما and Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه
Reported by al-Ghazālī in Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn.
Content: Whoever recites Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday will have light from his place up to Makkah, forgiveness until the next Friday plus three days, and protection from Dajjāl, leprosy, and calamities.
- Chain includes Ismāʿīl bin Abī Ziyād, who is matrūk (abandoned).
- Declared a liar by al-Dāraqutnī.
- Some scholars ruled it fabricated.
Conclusion: Completely unreliable.✿ 7th Hadith: Ismāʿīl bin Rāfiʿ
Narrated by Ibn al-Ḍarīs in Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān.
Content: Recounted with the phrase “balaghanā” (it reached us), which makes it muʿḍal/weak.
Conclusion: Weak, not proof.✿ Athar of Abu al-Muhlab al-Jurmi
Reported by Ibn al-Ḍarīs.
Content: Whoever recites Sūrah al-Kahf on Friday will have expiation until the next Friday.
- Abu al-Muhlab is thiqa (trustworthy).
- Declared acceptable (lā baʾsa bihi).
Conclusion: This report is authentic, but it is a saying of a Tābiʿī, not a marfūʿ Hadith.✧ Summary of Research Findings
➊ Abu Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه – Strongest report, but mawqūf (not from the Prophet ﷺ), and without Friday specification.
➋ ʿAlī, Ibn ʿUmar, ʿĀʾishah, Ibn ʿAbbās, Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنهم – All narrations are weak, severely weak, or fabricated.
➌ Ismāʿīl bin Rāfiʿ – Weak, not proof.
➍ Abu al-Muhlab al-Jurmi’s athar – Authentic, but not marfūʿ.
✧ Scholarly Statements
- Imam al-Nasāʾī: “The mawqūf narration is authentic.”
- Imam al-Bayhaqī: “The well-known narration is mawqūf.”
- Imam al-Dhahabī: “Its being mawqūf is more correct.”
- Ibn Hajar: “The mawqūf narration is authentic.”
✧ Final Conclusion
The general virtue of reciting Sūrah al-Kahf is authentic (especially for protection against Dajjāl). However, the specificity of Friday is not proven by any authentic marfūʿ Hadith. Based on reliable athār (Companions and Tābiʿīn), reciting it on Friday may be considered recommended, but not as a binding Sunnah.