Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. I’m well aware of the rewards of reciting Surah al-Mulk every night and Surah al-Kahfi on Friday nights. The question is, will my wife and children receive the same reward as me, if I recite them beside my wife and children? The reason is, my wife is so busy taking care of our children that she doesn’t have the time to recite them.
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah SWT for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings.
The Prophet PBUH states numerous virtues and rewards of those who recite Surah al-Mulk every night and Surah al-Kahfi every Friday. Among the hadiths that mentioned this are:
- From Ibn Abbas RA, he said, "One of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) pitched a tent on a grave without knowing that it was a grave. Suddenly he heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it. So, he went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said:
يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي ضَرَبْتُ خِبَائِي عَلَى قَبْرٍ وَأَنَا لاَ أَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ قَبْرٌ ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ إِنْسَانٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ تَبَارَكَ الْمُلْكِ حَتَّى خَتَمَهَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : هِيَ الْمَانِعَةُ ، هِيَ الْمُنْجِيَةُ ، تُنْجِيهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ القَبْرِ.
'O Messenger of Allah, I pitched my tent on a grave without realizing that is was a grave. Then suddenly I heard a person from the grave reciting Surah al-Mulk till he completed it.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'It is the defender, it is the deliverer - it delivers from the punishment of the grave.'"
Sunan al-Tirmidzi (2890)
- From Abu Sa’id al-Khudri RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ َقَرَأَ سُوْرَةَ الْكَهْفِ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمْعَةِ أَضَاءَ لَهُ مِنَ النُّوْرِ فِيْمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيْقِ
“Whoever recites surah al-Kahfi on Friday night, then he will receive light from where he is to Baitul ‘Atiq.”
Sunan al-Darimi (3273)
- In a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, from Abu Darda’ RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ حَفِظَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْف عُصِمَ مِنَ الدَّجَّالِ
“If anyone learns by heart the first ten verses of the Surah al-Kahf, he will be protected from the Dajjal.”
Sahih Muslim (1342)
Indeed, al-Quran is a benefit to all mankind; for those who recite it or listen to it. Hence, Allah SWT commanded the believers to listen carefully to the recitation of the Quran when it is recited. Allah SWT said:
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
“So, when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy.”
Surah al-A’raf (2040)
The Prophet PBUH himself ask his companions to recite the Quran to him. In a hadith, it is narrated that the Prophet PBUH asked Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud to recite the Quran to him:
" "اقْرَأْ عَلَىَّ ". قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ آقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَيْكَ أُنْزِلَ قَالَ " نَعَمْ ". فَقَرَأْتُ سُورَةَ النِّسَاءِ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ إِلَى هَذِهِ الآيَةِ {فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَؤُلاَءِ شَهِيدًا} قَالَ " حَسْبُكَ الآنَ ". فَالْتَفَتُّ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذَا عَيْنَاهُ تَذْرِفَانِ.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, "Recite (the Qur'an) to me." I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Shall I recite (the Qur'an) to you while it has been revealed to you?" He said, "Yes." So, I recited Surat-An-Nisa' (The Women), but when I recited the Verse: 'How (will it be) then when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people.' (4.41) He said, "Enough for the present," I looked at him and behold! His eyes were overflowing with tears.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (4583)
Anyone who listens to the Quran will receive rewards for it if it is done according to the manners of it and when the person contemplates and appreciates the Quranic recitation. However, the rewards of listening to the recitation of the Quran is not the same as those who recites it. The reason is, for someone who recites the Quran, he will receive a greater reward and virtues of reciting the Quran. From Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا لاَ أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلاَمٌ حَرْفٌ وَمِيمٌ حَرْفٌ
"[Whoever recites a letter] from Allah's Book, then he receives the reward from it, and the reward of ten the like of it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter."
Sunan al-Tirmidzi (2910)
Hence, being jealous towards those who recites the Quran is permissible in Islam. The Prophet PBUH said:
لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْقُرْآنَ فَهْوَ يَتْلُوهُ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ، وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَهْوَ يُنْفِقُهُ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَآنَاءَ النَّهَارِ
“Envy is not justified but in case of two persons only: one who, having been given (knowledge of) the Qur'an by Allah, recites it during the night and day (and also acts upon it) and a man who, having been given wealth by God, spends it during the night and the day (for the welfare of others. seeking the pleasure of the Lord).”
Sahih al-Bukhari (7529) and Sahih Muslim (815)
Conclusion
According to the above discussion, it can be concluded that the rewards of reciting a verse of the Quran is not the same for someone who just listens to it.
Hence, we advise those who listen to the recitation of the Quran to also recite the verses along, even if he does not memorize it or look at the mushaf. In this situation, then the person who listens to it will also receive the same rewards for it. May Allah SWT bless us with guidance to continue worshipping Him and obeying all His commandments.
Wallhua’lam.