--- title: "The Virtue of Surah Al-Ikhlas: How Does It Equal a Third of the Quran?" description: "The virtue of Surah Al-Ikhlas in a sound hadith narrated by Muslim: it equals a third of the Quran. Learn about the text of the hadith and scholars' interpretation of the meaning of \"a third of the Quran\" and how to invest it in your memorization." url: "https://iqraairtqi.com/en/blogs/the-virtue-of-surah-al-ikhlas-how-does-it-equal-a-third-of-the-quran" date: "2026-09-15T07:52:56+00:00" --- # The Virtue of Surah Al-Ikhlas: How Does It Equal a Third of the Quran? \[whiteboard\] - 🕋 **A Third of the Quran:** "Say, He is Allah, One, equals a third of the Quran" — A sound hadith narrated by Muslim. - 📏 **Only Four Verses:** The shortest surah in the Holy Quran and easiest to memorize for children and beginners. - 🧠 **Why "a third"?** Because it is pure in the oneness of Allah (faith), and the three major themes of the Quran: Oneness, Laws, Stories. - ⚠️ **Important Note:** Some widespread virtues about it (like reading it a hundred times for the forgiveness of a thousand years) have not been proven with a sound chain of narration. \[/whiteboard\]
**📚 Series of the Virtues of Surahs:** - [Index: The Virtues of Quranic Surahs (What is Authentic and What is Not)](/blogs/فضائل-السور-القرآنية-الأحاديث-الصحيحة) - [The Virtue of Surah Al-Baqarah and Ayat Al-Kursi](/blogs/فضل-سورة-البقرة-وآية-الكرسي) - [The Virtue of Surah Al-Mulk](/blogs/فضل-سورة-الملك-تبارك)
The Text of the Authentic Hadith and Its Meaning ------------------------------------------------ This is one of the most famous authentic hadiths regarding the virtues of the Quran, and it has come in more than one wording in the two Sahihs, all affirming the same meaning. > From Abu Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Is any one of you unable to read a third of the Quran in a night?" They said: "How can one read a third of the Quran?" He said: "Say, He is Allah, One, equals a third of the Quran." — Narrated by Muslim. [Source: Islam Web](https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/35363/) > And in another narration in Muslim: "Indeed, Allah divided the Quran into three parts, and made (Say, He is Allah, One) one of the parts of the Quran." Why "equals a third of the Quran" and not a third of its verses or pages? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scholars clarified that the intention is not the literal number of verses, but the content; the themes of the Holy Quran revolve around three major axes: - **Oneness and Faith:** Surah Al-Ikhlas is entirely devoted to it, thus equaling this axis alone. - **Legal Rulings:** Commands, prohibitions, and legislations. - **Stories and News:** Stories of the Prophets and past and future nations. Because it is dedicated to a complete axis of the three (Oneness), the reward for reciting it equals the reward for reading a third of the Quran, not because it suffices for reading the rest. ### Note: Virtues That Have Not Been Proven and Should Not Be Spread It has spread the saying that whoever recites it a hundred times will have their sins forgiven for two hundred years with a specific wording, and this has not been proven with a sound chain of narration as noted by scholars. The only established hadith is the "a third of the Quran" mentioned above, and anything else should be attributed to its scholars, not to the Prophet ﷺ unless it is supported by a sound hadith. Why Should You Start Teaching It to Your Children First? --------------------------------------------------------
ReasonDetails
ShortnessOnly 4 verses, can be memorized in one sitting even with a beginner child
Clarity of MeaningThe belief in the oneness of Allah in simple, direct words, easy to explain to a child
Great RewardThe child learns that the reward is not measured by the length of the surah but by its content and the sincerity of the reader
#### Frequently Asked Questions
**Q: Does reciting it 3 times suffice for reading the entire Quran?**A: No, the intention is to equal the reward, not to replace reading the rest of the Quran and reflecting on it and acting upon it.
**Q: What is the difference between Surah Al-Ikhlas and the two Mu'awwidhat (the last two surahs) in virtue?**A: The virtue of Al-Ikhlas is established in the hadith "equals a third of the Quran," while the two Mu'awwidhat (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) have their virtues established in seeking refuge and protection, and the Prophet ﷺ would recite them together with Al-Ikhlas before sleeping.
**Q: Is the hadith about multiplying its recitation a hundred or two hundred times authentic?**A: The narration regarding this meaning is weak in chain according to most researchers, so it should not be relied upon in virtue despite its spread.
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