The Quran has been sent down to humankind as a blessing due to its infinite rewards. When we are building a relationship with the Quran, we are developing a sacred bond with Allah s.w.t. 

Through reciting, listening, and contemplating the verses, we can appreciate the beginning of life that He has created, beautiful reminders from the stories of the past and the upcoming life in the hereafter.

Read: How to Learn to Read The Quran

Within the verses of 114 chapters (surah) in the Quran, they are also a form of healing and protection for mankind. Allah s.w.t says in the Quran,

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ

“We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers.”

(Surah Al-Isra’, 17:82)

The recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah is one example from the Quran. It brings blessing and serves as a source of protection against undesired events, such as afflictions and harm caused by evil acts of magicians¹. Also known to be the longest surah (a total of 286 verses) in the Quran, it is mentioned in a hadith that Satan flees from a home in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited. Abu Hurairah r.a. reported that he heard Rasulullah s.a.w. said:

‏‏‏ لا تَجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ مَقابِرَ، إنَّ الشَّيْطانَ يَنْفِرُ مِنَ البَيْتِ الذي تُقْرَأُ فيه سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ

“Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.”

(Sahih Muslim)

Read: Sunnah and Etiquettes of Welcoming a New Home

But what if in Surah Al- Baqarah itself, there is one powerful verse that suffices you for your day and night? Let us find out more in this article!

The Magnificent Verse of Ayatul Kursi

Ayatul Kursi is the most magnificent verse in the Quran because of its tremendous virtues and benefits². Sufyan Ibn ‘Uyainah narrated that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud r.a. said:

مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ مِنْ سَمَاءٍ وَلاَ أَرْضٍ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ آيَةِ الْكُرْسِيِّ ‏.‏ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ لأَنَّ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ هُوَ كَلاَمُ اللَّهِ وَكَلاَمُ اللَّهِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ ‏.‏

“Allah has not created in the heavens nor in the earth what is more magnificent than Ayat Al-Kursi.” Sufyan commented: “Because Ayat Al-Kursi is the Speech of Allah, and Allah's Speech is greater than Allah's creation of the heavens and the earth.”

(Sunan At-Tirmizi)

Ayatul Kursi (with Transliteration and Translation)

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ
Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Hu, Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom
Allah! There is no deity (worthy of worship) except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence.
لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ
Laa ta’khudhuhuu sinatun wa laa nawm
Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.
لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ
Lahu maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil-ard
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ
Man zalladhee yashfa’u ‘indahu illaa bi-idhnih
Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ
Ya’lamu maa bayna aydeehim wa maa khalfahum
He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them.
وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ
Wa laa yuheetoona bishai’im min ‘ilmihi illaa bimaa shaa’
And they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills.
وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ
Wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal-ard
His Kursi (throne) extends over the heavens and the earth.
وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا
Wa laa ya’ooduhu hifzuhumaa
And their preservation tires Him not.
وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Wa Huwal-Aliyyul-Azeem
And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255)

Imam Ibn Kathir has condensed his explanation of Ayatul Kursi in his tafsir (Quranic exegesis) to allow us to understand deeper as to why this verse is powerful. Here is a three-part summary of the tafsir:

Key Themes in Ayatul Kursi

1. Allah s.w.t’s names and His attributes

In this one verse alone, there is mention of various names of Allah s.w.t. and His attributes. His Oneness, where none other can be worshipped rightfully except Allah s.w.t. He requires no support, does not stop to rest as He is The-Creator, The All-Living, and The All-Sustainer. 

All his creations in this universe, consisting of the skies, earth, plants, mankind, animals, angels, and jinn are reliant and dependent on Allah. Only through His All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Knowing, All-Greatness, All-Perfect, and The Most High that the different parts of the world are synchronised in a perfect order without any shortcomings. 

Nothing is hidden from His authority even from the ground to the movements of the planets and the galaxy. His All-Encompassing of unlimited knowledge in its different entity only belongs to Him alone except if He conveys.

Read: 99 Divine Names of Allah s.w.t.

2. All intercession is by Allah’s permission

On the day of Judgement, no one can intercede their loved ones except with His divine mercy and permission. Even Rasulullah s.a.w. for being the first one who can intercede His people can only do so with Allah s.w.t’s will. Abu Huraira r.a. reported that Rasulullah s.a.w. said:

‏أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْقَبْرُ وَأَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ وَأَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ

“I shall be pre-eminent amongst the descendants of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be accepted (by Allah).”

(Sahih Muslim)

3. His mighty creation of Al-Kursi

Al-Kursi is a creation of Allah s.w.t. that humankind will never be able to comprehend its grandeur, at least in this world³. It is clearly stated in the hadith in which the Prophet s.a.w. said,

ما السَّماوات السّبع في الكُرسيِّ إلَّا كحلقةٍ ملقاةٍ بأرضٍ فلاةٍ، وفضلُ العرشِ على الكُرسيِّ كفضلِ تلك الفلاةِ على تلك الحلقةِ

“The seven heavens and the seven earths in comparison to the Kursi are like a ring thrown down in a vast desert, and the superiority of the ‘Arsh (the Throne) over the Kursi is like that of the desert over that ring.”

(Sahih Ibn Hibban)

This unimaginable splendour expresses the magnificence of this verse, as it displays Allah’s s.w.t. power and might!

Virtues and Benefits of Ayatul Kursi

1. Recite before sleeping

Abu Huraira r.a. was on a night shift duty taking care of the provisions of Zakat during the month of Ramadan. He caught a thief during that night and interestingly, the thief shared a tip before he was released. Abu Huraira r.a said,

وَكَّلَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِحِفْظِ زَكَاةِ رَمَضَانَ، فَأَتَانِي آتٍ، فَجَعَلَ يَحْثُو مِنَ الطَّعَامِ، فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لأَرْفَعَنَّكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَوَيْتَ إِلَى فِرَاشِكَ فَاقْرَأْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ لَنْ يَزَالَ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَافِظٌ، وَلاَ يَقْرَبُكَ شَيْطَانٌ حَتَّى تُصْبِحَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏صَدَقَكَ وَهْوَ كَذُوبٌ، ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ‏"‏‏.‏

“Rasulullah s.a.w put me in charge of the Zakat of Ramadan (i.e. Zakat-ul-Fitr). Someone came to me and started stealing from the provisions (Zakat). I caught him and told him I would take him to Rasulullah s.a.w. Then Abu Huraira described the whole incident and said,(the thief said to me), 'Whenever you go to your bed, recite the Verse of Al-Kursi (2:255) for then a guardian from Allah will be guarding you, and Satan will not approach you till dawn.’ On that the Prophet s.a.w said, “He told you the truth, though he is a liar, and he (the thief) was Satan.”

(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Gratefully, through the interaction between the enemy of humankind, Satan, and Abu Huraira r.a, we can fully equip ourselves with a powerful protection against them before we go to sleep. Isn’t that a relief!  

2. After your five daily (fardhu) prayers

Reciting Ayatul Kursi after each of your five daily prayers, will confirm you a place in Paradise as narrated by Abu Umamah r.a, Rasulullah s.a.w. said:

مَنْ قَرَأَ آيَةَ اَلْكُرْسِيِّ دُبُرَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ مَكْتُوبَةٍ لَمْ يَمْنَعْهُ مِنْ دُخُولِ اَلْجَنَّةِ إِلَّا اَلْمَوْتُ

“Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at the end of every obligatory prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering Paradise.”

(Sunan An-Nasa’i)

The former grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Baaz, views that when a person consistently recites Ayatul Kursi after every prayer with the contemplation of its meaning, he or she will tend to be mindful of Allah’s greatness and His rewards⁴. Consequently, this will prevent him from performing bad deeds. Thus, if he were to die, paradise waits for him.

3. Morning and evening supplications

مَن قالها حين يُصبح أُجير من الجنِّ حتى يُمسي، ومَن قالها حين يُمسي أُجير منهم حتى يُصبح

“Whoever recites this (Ayatul Kursi) when he rises in the morning will be protected from jinns until he reaches the evening, and whoever recites it in the evening will be protected from them (jinns) until he rises in the morning.”

(Sunan An-Nasa’i)

Although it is highly recommended to recite Ayatul Kursi, you can also consistently listen to it throughout the different recommended timing above. The more you listen to it, it will be easier to recite and memorise. You will then be able to recite it independently at home or during your journey to school or work.

Conclusion

Learning and applying the recitation of Ayatul Kursi in the different parts of the day will keep us grounded in our mindfulness of Allah’s might and power. Not only does it remind us that nothing can reach us except by His permission, it can also protect our family from harm, especially when everyone is practising this beautiful routine in their day. Keep reminding each other of this beautiful and powerful verse in Surah Al-Baqarah, and may paradise await all of us! Ameen.

References:

¹ Shahih Muslim (n.d) (42) Chapter: The virtue of reciting the Qur’an and Surat al-Baqarah. Retrieved from here.

² Al-Quran Ibn Kathir Tafsir| Alim.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from here.

³ Abdurrahman.org (2018) Allaah’s kursi extends over the heavens and the earth encompassing them all – Shaykh Uthaymeen | Dr. Saleh as-Saleh. Retrieved from here.

⁴ Bin Baz (n.d) The ruling of reciting Ayatul Kursi after every fardu prayer. Retrieved from here.

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