Aayat al-Kursiy

"اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ".
Allaahu laa 'ilaaha 'illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom, laa ta'khuthuhu sinatun wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-'ardh, man thal-lathee yashfa'u 'indahu 'illaa bi'ithnihi, ya'lamu maa bayna 'aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bishay'im-min 'ilmihi 'illaa bimaa shaa'a, wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samaawaati wal'ardha, wa laa ya'ooduhu hifdhuhumaa, wa Huwal- 'Aliyyul- 'Adheem.

Allah! There is no God but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

[ Al-Baqarah 2:255.]

Whoever reads this when he lies down to sleep will have a guardian from Allah remain with him and Satan will not be able to come near him until he rises in the morning. See Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 4/487.

Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer of Aayat al-Kursiy from Soorat al-Baqarah:

This is Aayat al-Kursiy, which has a high status. It was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that it is the greatest aayah in the Book of Allaah .It was narrated from Ubayy, i.e., Ubayy ibn Ka’b that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him which aayah in the Book of Allaah was the greatest. He said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He repeated it several times, then he said, “Aayat al-Kursiy.” 

 

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Congratulations upon your knowledge O Abu’l-Mundhir. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it has a tongue and two lips, and it glorifies the Sovereign (i.e., Allaah) at the foot of the Throne.” This was also narrated by Muslim, without the phrase “By the One in Whose hand is my soul…”

 

 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ubayy ibn Ka’b that his father told him that he had a vessel in which he kept dates. He used to check on it and found that the number was decreasing. So he kept guard on it one night and saw a beast that looked like an adolescent boy. He said: “I greeted him with salaams and he returned my greeting, then I asked him, ‘What are you, a jinn or a human?’ He said, ‘A jinn.’ I said to him, ‘Show me your hand.’ So he showed me his hand, and it looked like a dog’s paw with dog’s fur. I said, ‘Do all the jinn look like this?’ He said, ‘I know no one among the jinn who is stronger than I.’ I said, ‘What made you do what you did [i.e., taking the dates]?’ He said, ‘We heard that you are a man who loves charity, and we wanted to have some of your food.’” Ubayy asked him, “What will protect us from you?” He said, “This aayah, Aayat al-Kursiy.” Then the next day he [Ubayy] went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told him (about what had happened) and he said, “The evil one spoke the truth.”

Imaam Ahmad narrated: Muhammad ibn Ja’far told us, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Itaab told us, he said: I heard Abu’l-Sulayl saying: a man from among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) addressed the people until a large number had gathered around him, then he climbed onto the roof of a house and addressed the people, saying: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Which aayah of the Qur’aan is the greatest?’ A man said, ‘ “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baqarah 2:255 – Aayat al-Kursi – interpretation of the meaning].’

 

He said: he put his hand between my shoulders and I felt coolness in the centre of my chest, or he put his hand on the centre of my chest and I felt coolness between my shoulders, and he said, ‘Congratulations on your knowledge, O Abu’l-Mundhir.”

It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst he was in the mosque and sat down. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, did you pray?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘ Get up and pray.’ So I got up and prayed, then I came and sat down. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, seek refuge with Allaah from the devils of men and jinn.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, are there devils among men?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about salaah?’ He said, ‘It is the best, so let whoever wants to, do a little of it and let whoever wants to, do more of it.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about fasting?’ He said, ‘It is obligatory and it is good, and the reward with Allaah is greater.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what about sadaqah (charity)?’ He said, ‘Allaah multiplies it many times over.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what (charity) is best?’ He said, ‘What a person gives at times of hardship, or what he gives in secret to a poor person.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, which of the Prophets was first?’ He said, ‘Adam.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, was he a Prophet?’ He said, ‘Yes, a Prophet to whom Allaah spoke.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, how many Messengers are there?’ He said. ‘Three hundred and umpteen, a great crowd.’ And once he said, ‘(Three hundred and) fifteen.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, what is the greatest thing that has been revealed to you?’ He said, ‘Aayat al-Kursiy, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning].’” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i).

 

 

Al-Bukhaari narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed me to guard the Ramadaan zakaah. Someone came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!’ He said, ‘Let me be, for I am in need and I have children and am in great need.’ So I let him go. The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he complained of being in great need and having children to look after, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘But he was lying, and he will be back.’ So I knew that he would come back, because of what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had said. I lay in wait for him, and he came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!’ He said, ‘Let me be, for I am in need and I have children. I will not come back again.’ So I took pity on him and let him go. 

The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he complained of being in great need and having children to look after, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘But he was lying, and he will be back.’ So I lay in wait for him on the third night, and he came and started taking some of the food. I grabbed hold of him and said, ‘I am going to take you to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)! This is the third and last time. You said that you would not come back, then you did come back.’ He said, ‘Let me go, and I will teach you some words by which Allaah will benefit you.’ I said, ‘What are they?” He said, ‘When you lie down in your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning] until the end of the aayah, then you will have a protector from Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until morning comes.’

Then I let him go. The following morning, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he claimed that he would teach me some words by which he said Allaah would benefit me, then I let him go.’ He asked, ‘What are they?’ I said, ‘He told me, when you lie down in your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, from the beginning to the end of the aayah, “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…” [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning]. 

And he told me, you will have a protector from Allaah and no shaytaan (devil) will come near you until morning comes.’ And they [the Sahaabah] were always keen to do good.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘He indeed told you the truth, although he is a liar. Do you know who you have been speaking with for the past three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘That was a shaytaan (a devil).’”


 

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab went out one day to some people who had prepared a meal. He said, “Who among you can tell me which is the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan?” Ibn Mas’ood said, “You are asking one who knows. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘The greatest aayah in the Qur’aan is ‘Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…’ [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning].”

 

 

 It was narrated in a marfoo’ report that Abu Umaamah said: “The greatest name of Allaah, which if He is called by it, He responds, is in three (soorahs): Soorat al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imraan and Ta-Ha.” Hishaam, i.e., Ibn ‘Ammaar, the khateeb of Damascus, said: “In al-Baqarah, it is ‘Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exist’ [al-Baraqah 2:255 – interpretation of the meaning]. In Aal ‘Imraan it is ‘Alif-Laam-Meem. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Aal ‘Imraan3:1-2 – interpretation of the meaning]. And in Ta-Ha it is ‘And (all) faces shall be humbled before (Allaah), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)’ [Ta-Ha 20:111].”

 

 

Concerning the virtue of reciting this aayah after the prescribed prayers, it was narrated that Abu Umaamah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Aayat al-Kursiy immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” This is how it was narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah, from al-Hasan ibn Bishr. It was also narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh from Muhammad ibn Humayr, who is al-Homsi, and is also one of the men of al-Bukhaari. The isnaad meets the conditions of al-Bukhaari.

And Allaah knows best.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid