The Excellence of the Holy Quran

مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ مَرَّةً بُورِكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ بُورِكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ بُورِكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَ عَلَى جِيرَانِهِ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ مَرَّةً بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ قَصْراً فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ الْحَفَظَةُ اذْهَبُوا بِنَا إِلَى قُصُورِ أَخِينَا فُلَانٍ فَنَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهَا وَ مَنْ قَر

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Badr from Muhammad ibn Marwan from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Whoever reads Chapter 1 12 of the Holy Quran once receives blessings. Whoever reads it twice, he and his family receive blessings. Whoever reads it three times, he,

لَمَّا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ أَنْ يَهْبِطْنَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ تَعَلَّقْنَ بِالْعَرْشِ‌[1] وَ قُلْنَ أَيْ رَبِّ إِلَى أَيْنَ تُهْبِطُنَا إِلَى أَهْلِ الْخَطَايَا وَ الذُّنُوبِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِنَّ أَنِ اهْبِطْنَ فَوَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي لَا يَتْلُوكُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ شِيعَتِهِمْ فِي دُبُرِ مَا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ إِلّ

“When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, commanded certain verses of the Holy Quran to descend to earth, they clung to the Throne asking, ‘O Lord, why are You sending us to people of sins and evil deeds.’ Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, inspired them to descend saying, ‘I swear by My Majesty and Glory th

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ قَرَأَ الْمُسَبِّحَاتِ‌[3] كُلَّهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنَامَ لَمْ يَمُتْ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَ الْقَائِمَ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ كَانَ فِي جِوَارِ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ ص.

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever reads all the chapters that begin with the word, ‘Sabbaha, or Yusabbihu’ before going to sleep will not die before seeing the twelfth Imam, and when he dies, he will be in the neighborhood of Muhammad (a.s.).’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ حِينَ يَأْخُذُ مَضْجَعَهُ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ذُنُوبَ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever reads Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran before going to sleep one hundred times, Allah forgives fifty years of his sins.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ قَرَأَ أَرْبَعَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الْبَقَرَةِ وَ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ وَ آيَتَيْنِ بَعْدَهَا[2] وَ ثَلَاثَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ آخِرِهَا لَمْ يَرَ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَ مَالِهِ شَيْئاً يَكْرَهُهُ وَ لَا يَقْرَبُهُ شَيْطَانٌ وَ لَا يَنْسَى الْقُرْآنَ.

5. Hamid ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Khashshab from ibn Baqqah from Mu’adh from ‘Amr ibn Jami’ in a marfu’ manner from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever reads four verses from the beginning of Chapter 2 of the Holy Quran, verse 255- 257 and three verses f

مَنْ قَرَأَ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ يَجْهَرُ بِهَا صَوْتَهُ كَانَ كَالشَّاهِرِ سَيْفَهُ‌[3] فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا سِرّاً كَانَ كَالْمُتَشَحِّطِ بِدَمِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ‌[4] وَ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا عَشْرَ مَرَّاتٍ غُفِرَتْ لَهُ عَلَى نَحْوِ أَلْفِ ذَنْبٍ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ‌[5].

“Whoever reads Chapter 97 of the Holy Quran aloud, he is considered as one unsheathing his sword in the way of Allah, whoever reads it silently he is considered as one who has been socked with his own blood in the way of Allah and whoever reads it ten times, about one thousand of his sins will be forgiven.”

كَانَ أَبِي ص يَقُولُ‌ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ثُلُثُ الْقُرْآنِ وَ قُلْ يا أَيُّهَا الْكافِرُونَ‌ رُبُعُ الْقُرْآنِ.

7. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ya’qub ibn Shu’ayb from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “My father (a.s.) would say, ‘Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran is one third and Chapter 109 is one forth of the Holy Quran.’”

مَنْ قَدَّمَ‌ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ جَبَّارٍ مَنَعَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْهُ يَقْرَأُهَا مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَيْرَهُ وَ مَنَعَهُ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَ قَالَ إِذَا خِفْتَ أَمْراً فَاقْرَأْ مِائَةَ آيَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ ثُمَّ قُلِ- اللَّهُمَّ اكْشِفْ عَنِّي الْبَلَاءَ ثَ

“Whoever reads verse 255 of Chapter 2 at the time of going to bed he will not fear paralysis, by the will of Allah, and whoever reads it after every obligatory prayer, poisonous things will not harm him.’ The Imam said, ‘Whoever forwards Chapter 112 between himself and a tyrant, Allah, the Most Majestic, will prevent t

مَنْ قَرَأَ مِائَةَ آيَةٍ يُصَلِّي بِهَا فِي لَيْلَةٍ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ بِهَا قُنُوتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَ مِائَتَيْ آيَةٍ فِي غَيْرِ صَلَاةٍ لَمْ يُحَاجَّهُ الْقُرْآنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ مَنْ قَرَأَ خَمْسَمِائَةِ آيَةٍ فِي يَوْمٍ وَ لَيْلَةٍ فِي صَلَاةِ النَّهَارِ وَ اللَّيْلِ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ فِي اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ قِنْطَاراً مِنَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَ الْقِنْطَارُ أَلْفٌ وَ

“Whoever reads one hundred verses of the Holy Quran in prayer in the night, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will write down for him the reward for one night’s worshipping. Whoever reads two hundred verses without being in prayer, the Holy Quran, on the Day of Judgment, will not argue against him. Whoever reads

مَنْ مَضَى بِهِ يَوْمٌ وَاحِدٌ فَصَلَّى فِيهِ بِخَمْسِ صَلَوَاتٍ وَ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ قِيلَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لَسْتَ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ.

“If one does not read Chapter 112 in twenty-four hours in any of the five prayers it will be said to him, ‘O servant (of Allah) you are not one of those who perform prayer.’”

مَنْ كانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلَا يَدَعْ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ فِي دُبُرِ[1] الْفَرِيضَةِ- بِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ قَرَأَهَا جَمَعَ اللَّهُ لَهُ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ غَفَرَ لَهُ وَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ وَ مَا وَلَدَا.

“Whoever believes in Allah and in the life to come should not ignore reading Chapter 112 ( al-’Ikhlas ) of the Holy Quran after an obligatory prayer. Whoever does so (reads it), Allah will collect for him the good of this and the next life, forgive him, his parents and their children.”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ سُورَةَ الْأَنْعَامِ نَزَلَتْ جُمْلَةً شَيَّعَهَا سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ص فَعَظِّمُوهَا وَ بَجِّلُوهَا فَإِنَّ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهَا فِي سَبْعِينَ مَوْضِعاً وَ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي قِرَاءَتِهَا مَا تَرَكُوهَا.

“Chapter six ( al-An ’am) was revealed all in one piece escorted by seventy thousand angels until it came down upon Muhammad (a.s.). You must maintain its greatness and respect it. The name of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, is mentioned therein at seventy places. Had people known what is in reading it, they w

لَقَدْ وَافَى مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفاً وَ فِيهِمْ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع يُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ بِمَا يَسْتَحِقُّ صَلَاتَكُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ بِقِرَاءَتِهِ‌ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ قَائِماً وَ قَاعِداً وَ رَاكِباً وَ مَاشِياً وَ ذَاهِباً وَ جَائِياً.

13. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Holy Prophet performed prayer for Sa’d ibn Mu’adh and said, ‘A delegate of seventy thousand angels was there, among them Jibril (Gabriel) was also there. They all performed prayer

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ قَرَأَ أَلْهاكُمُ التَّكاثُرُ عِنْدَ النَّوْمِ وُقِيَ فِتْنَةَ الْقَبْرِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever read al-Hakum al-Takathur Chapter 102 of the Holy Quran at bedtime will be safe from the mischief of the grave.’”

مَا قُرِئَتِ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى وَجَعٍ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً إِلَّا سَكَنَ.

“Whenever I read al-Hamd (Chapter One of the Holy Quran) for pain, seventy times, it was relieved.”

لَوْ قُرِئَتِ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً ثُمَّ رُدَّتْ فِيهِ الرُّوحُ مَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ عَجَباً.

“If you read al-Hamd (Chapter One of the Holy Quran) seventy times over a dead body and it comes back to life, do not be astonished.”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ فِي حَدِّ الصِّبَا يَتَعَهَّدُ[2] فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ قِرَاءَةَ- قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ‌ وَ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ‌ كُلَّ وَاحِدَةٍ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ فَخَمْسِينَ إِلَّا صَرَفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنْهُ كُلَّ لَمَمٍ أَوْ عَرَضٍ مِنْ أَعْرَاضِ الصِّبْيَانِ- وَ الْعُطَاشَ‌[3] وَ فَسَادَ الْمَعِدَةِ وَ بُ

“I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘If a child maintains reading every night Chapters 113, 114 three times each and Chapter 112 one hundred times or, if he cannot do it, fifty times Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, diverts all health problems of childhood and dehydration, stomach disorder and blood pressure

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنِ اسْتَكْفَى بِآيَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنَ الشَّرْقِ إِلَى الْغَرْبِ كُفِيَ إِذَا كَانَ بِيَقِينٍ.

“I heard abu Ibrahim (a.s.) saying, ‘If one considers one verse of the Holy Quran sufficient (for his protection) from East to West, it is enough [with certainty].”’

تَأْخُذُ قُلَّةً جَدِيدَةً فَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَاءً ثُمَّ تَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهَا- إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ثَلَاثِينَ مَرَّةً ثُمَّ تُعَلِّقُ وَ تَشْرَبُ مِنْهَا وَ تَتَوَضَّأُ وَ يُزْدَادُ فِيهَا مَاءٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ.

“Find a new pot made of clay and fill it with water then read Chapter 97 of the Holy Quran on it thirty times, then hang it from something, use it for drink and wuzu and add water if so desired (if Allah wills).”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا مُفَضَّلُ احْتَجِزْ مِنَ النَّاسِ كُلِّهِمْ بِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ- وَ بِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اقْرَأْهَا عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْكَ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِكَ وَ مِنْ فَوْقِكَ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِكَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتَ عَلَى سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ فَاقْرَأْهَا حِينَ تَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ اعْقِدْ بِيَدِكَ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ لَا تُفَارِقْهَا حَ

‘(I begin) in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’, and with Chapter 112 by reading toward each directions: right, left, front, back, above and below. When you enter in the presence of a tyranical ruler read it three times when looking at him, count it with your left hand and continue reading until you leav

وَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً ص بِالْحَقِّ وَ أَكْرَمَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِهِ مَا مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَطْلُبُونَهُ مِنْ حِرْزٍ مِنْ حَرَقٍ أَوْ غَرَقٍ أَوْ سَرَقٍ أَوْ إِفْلَاتِ دَابَّةٍ مِنْ صَاحِبِهَا[2] أَوْ ضَالَّةٍ أَوْ آبِقٍ إِلَّا وَ هُوَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَمَنْ أَرَادَ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَسْأَلْنِي عَنْهُ قَالَ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَمَّا يُؤْمِنُ مِنَ الْحَرَقِ وَ الْغَرَقِ فَقَالَ

“I swear by the One who sent Muhammad (a.s.) with the truth and honored his family, all supplications for protection is in the Holy Quran. In the Holy Quran there is protection against fire, theft, straying of animals from the owner, lost items, or runaway persons. Whoever wants to know, ask me. The narrator has said t

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ لَمْ يُبْرِئْهُ الْحَمْدُ لَمْ يُبْرِئْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ.

‘If al-Hamd, (the first Chapter of the Holy Quran) would not cure one, nothing else could cure one.’”

مَنْ قَرَأَ إِذَا أَوَى إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ- قُلْ يا أَيُّهَا الْكافِرُونَ‌ وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ بَرَاءَةً مِنَ الشِّرْكِ.

“Whoever at the time of going to bed reads Chapter 109 of the Holy Quran, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will write down for him immunity from polytheism.”

لَا تَمَلُّوا مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ- إِذا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزالَها فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَتُهُ بِهَا فِي نَوَافِلِهِ لَمْ يُصِبْهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِزَلْزَلَةٍ أَبَداً وَ لَمْ يَمُتْ بِهَا وَ لَا بِصَاعِقَةٍ وَ لَا بِآفَةٍ مِنْ آفَاتِ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَمُوتَ وَ إِذَا مَاتَ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ كَرِيمٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّهِ فَيَقْعُدُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ فَيَقُولُ يَا مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ ارْفُقْ بِوَلِيِّ الل

“Do not be dismayed in reading Chapter 99 of the Holy Quran. If one reads it in the optional prayers, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, protects him, all the time, against earthquakes and will not die thereby or by lightening and of worldly calamities until the time of his death. When he dies a noble angel comes

قُرَّاءُ الْقُرْآنِ ثَلَاثَةٌ رَجُلٌ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاتَّخَذَهُ بِضَاعَةً وَ اسْتَدَرَّ بِهِ الْمُلُوكَ‌[1] وَ اسْتَطَالَ بِهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَ رَجُلٌ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَحَفِظَ حُرُوفَهُ وَ ضَيَّعَ حُدُودَهُ وَ أَقَامَهُ إِقَامَةَ الْقِدْحِ- فَلَا كَثَّرَ اللَّهُ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْقُرْآنِ‌[2] وَ رَجُلٌ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ فَوَضَعَ دَوَاءَ الْقُرْآنِ عَلَى دَاءِ قَلْبِهِ فَأَسْهَرَ بِهِ لَيْلَهُ وَ أَظْمَ

‘The readers of the Holy Quran are of three kinds: There is a man who has learned the Holy Quran and has taken it as a piece of merchandise to attract the rulers thereby and dominate the people. There is a man who has learned the Holy Quran, preserved its letters, but has lost its laws. He has kept its letters without