❖ The Claim: One Who Recites Surah Al-Waqiʿah Every Night Will Never Suffer Poverty
Authored by: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid حفظه الله
✿ The Narration:
Hafiz Ibn ʿAsakir رحمه الله narrates an incident from the life of ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud رضي الله عنه:
When ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud رضي الله عنه fell ill with the sickness from which he eventually passed away, ʿUthman ibn ʿAffan رضي الله عنه came to visit him.
ʿUthman asked:
"What complaint do you have?"
He replied:
"My sins."
ʿUthman asked:
"What do you desire?"
He answered:
"The mercy of my Lord."
ʿUthman then offered:
"Shall I call a physician for you?"
He replied:
"The One who made me ill is the Physician."
ʿUthman said:
"Shall I give you some wealth?"
He replied:
"I have no need for wealth."
ʿUthman said:
"It will benefit your daughters after you."
He replied:
*"Do you fear poverty for my daughters? I have already instructed them to recite Surah Al-Waqiʿah every night, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
『من قرأ سورة الواقعة كل ليلة لم تصبه فاقة أبدا』
‘Whoever recites Surah Al-Waqiʿah every night will never be afflicted by poverty.’”
It is further mentioned that the narrator of this story, Abu Zubayrah, would also recite Surah Al-Waqiʿah every night without fail.
❖ Authentication of the Hadith:
Status of the Chain: Its chain is severely weak.
- Referenced in:
- Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ḍaʿīfah no. 289
- al-ʿIlal by Ibn al-Jawzi, p. 151
- ʿAmal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah by Ibn al-Sunni, no. 680
- Shuʿab al-Īmān by al-Bayhaqi, nos. 2498, 2499
✿ Reasons for Weakness:
① The narrator Shujāʿ is majhūl (unknown) — his identity and reliability are not established.
② The chain of narration has a clear disconnection (inqiṭāʿ).
③ The text itself is denounced (has nakārah), meaning it contains content not supported by stronger or established narrations.
④ Multiple narrators in the chain are weak (ḍuʿafāʾ).
⑤ Overall, the entire chain is considered highly unreliable.
Despite this, many preachers continue to use this narration in sermons, which is incorrect and misleading.
❖ Conclusion:
The narration encouraging nightly recitation of Surah Al-Waqiʿah to avoid poverty is not authentic. It suffers from multiple flaws in its chain and content and is classified as severely weak by hadith scholars.
While reciting the Qur’an is always virtuous, attributing specific worldly outcomes to certain Surahs without authentic evidence is impermissible. Caution must be observed in preaching such reports.
