Exegesis of Surat al-Ikhlas and an explanation of its virtue.
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The Shaykh : As for the second surah, Surat al-Ikhlas, it is [Al-Ikhlas 112:1]. It is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is equivalent to what?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : One-third of the Qur'an. Good, you did well. It is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an. Is it equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in terms of reward, or in terms of sufficiency, or in terms of meanings, or what?
It is equivalent to it in terms of reward. Does it suffice for one-third of the Qur'an, meaning is it equivalent to it in terms of sufficiency? No. And is it equivalent to it in terms of meaning? Yes. Good, so it is equivalent to it in terms of reward and in terms of meaning, but not in terms of sufficiency. I will give you an example regarding sufficiency. If I said that it is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in terms of sufficiency, it would suffice for al-Fatihah if you recited it three times, and no one holds this view. So it does not suffice for one-third of the Qur'an, because if we said this, then if a man recited it three times, we would say the first is for the first third, the second for the middle third, and the third for the last third, and you would not be required to recite al-Fatihah in the prayer, and no one holds this view. I will give you an example of something that is equivalent to something else in reward but not in sufficiency. If a person says "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise, and He is over all things competent" ten times, what is it equivalent to? It is equivalent to freeing four, four slaves. It is equivalent to freeing four slaves in what? In reward, not in sufficiency? In reward, not in sufficiency. For this reason, if a person had to free a slave and said, "I will say ten times 'There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise, and He is over all things competent,'" would that suffice or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : By consensus, and there is no disagreement in it.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : By consensus. Good, so it has become clear to us that something may be equivalent to another in reward but not in sufficiency. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in reward, not in sufficiency. It is also equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. It is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. How much time is it? How much?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, I did not find the time long.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : I understand. There is one person looking at the clock, so I ask, did you find the time long? No, a little is left. Good, listen, my brother. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. How is the meaning? First, know that the Qur'an contains, or revolves around, three meanings. The entire Qur'an revolves around three meanings:
The first: informing about Allah the Exalted.
The second: informing about Allah's creations.
The third: rulings of command and prohibition.
This is what the Qur'an contains: informing about Allah Mighty and Majestic. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to it, bringing the information about Allah complete. Informing about the creations: news of previous nations, news of the beginning of creation, news of the end of creation, news of the Day of Resurrection. All of this is a separate section or category. And what else do we have? What? The rulings, commands and prohibitions, a third category. For this reason, "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an by virtue of the first category, which is what pertains to Allah Mighty and Majestic.
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قل هو الله أحدThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : One-third of the Qur'an. Good, you did well. It is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an. Is it equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in terms of reward, or in terms of sufficiency, or in terms of meanings, or what?
It is equivalent to it in terms of reward. Does it suffice for one-third of the Qur'an, meaning is it equivalent to it in terms of sufficiency? No. And is it equivalent to it in terms of meaning? Yes. Good, so it is equivalent to it in terms of reward and in terms of meaning, but not in terms of sufficiency. I will give you an example regarding sufficiency. If I said that it is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in terms of sufficiency, it would suffice for al-Fatihah if you recited it three times, and no one holds this view. So it does not suffice for one-third of the Qur'an, because if we said this, then if a man recited it three times, we would say the first is for the first third, the second for the middle third, and the third for the last third, and you would not be required to recite al-Fatihah in the prayer, and no one holds this view. I will give you an example of something that is equivalent to something else in reward but not in sufficiency. If a person says "There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise, and He is over all things competent" ten times, what is it equivalent to? It is equivalent to freeing four, four slaves. It is equivalent to freeing four slaves in what? In reward, not in sufficiency? In reward, not in sufficiency. For this reason, if a person had to free a slave and said, "I will say ten times 'There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise, and He is over all things competent,'" would that suffice or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : By consensus, and there is no disagreement in it.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : By consensus. Good, so it has become clear to us that something may be equivalent to another in reward but not in sufficiency. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in reward, not in sufficiency. It is also equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. It is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. How much time is it? How much?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, I did not find the time long.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : I understand. There is one person looking at the clock, so I ask, did you find the time long? No, a little is left. Good, listen, my brother. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an in meaning. How is the meaning? First, know that the Qur'an contains, or revolves around, three meanings. The entire Qur'an revolves around three meanings:
The first: informing about Allah the Exalted.
The second: informing about Allah's creations.
The third: rulings of command and prohibition.
This is what the Qur'an contains: informing about Allah Mighty and Majestic. "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to it, bringing the information about Allah complete. Informing about the creations: news of previous nations, news of the beginning of creation, news of the end of creation, news of the Day of Resurrection. All of this is a separate section or category. And what else do we have? What? The rulings, commands and prohibitions, a third category. For this reason, "Say: He is Allah, One" is equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an by virtue of the first category, which is what pertains to Allah Mighty and Majestic.