Al-Ikhlaas
سُورَةُ الإِخۡلَاصِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
About Surah Al-Ikhlaas
Meccan · 4 verses
Main Themes
Divine absolute oneness, the negation of all comparison to Allah, the foundation of tawhid
Significance
Al-Ikhlas (Sincerity/Purity) is one of the most important surahs in the Quran, described by the Prophet ﷺ as equivalent to one-third of the Quran. It presents the purest possible formulation of Islamic monotheism (tawhid) in four concise verses, covering Allah's oneness, His self-sufficiency, His unbegetting and unbeggotten nature, and His absolute incomparability. It is the Islamic response to any form of divine anthropomorphism or association of partners with Allah.
Key Verse Explained
Ayah 2 ("Allah, the Eternally Self-Sufficient") introduces the divine attribute of Al-Samad — a word without precise English equivalent, encompassing self-sufficiency, the one upon whom all creation depends, the one who neither eats nor drinks, and the one who has no need. Classical scholars of theology devoted extensive analysis to this single word, understanding it as the key to the Islamic conception of divine independence that no creature shares.
Related Practices
Reciting Al-Ikhlas three times is equivalent to reciting the entire Quran in terms of reward, according to authentic hadith. It is recited after every obligatory prayer, in the morning and evening adhkar, before sleeping (three times), in the prayer for the deceased, and in Ruqyah. Many scholars recommend completing the equivalent of a full Quran recitation daily by reading Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas three times each morning and evening — a practice based on multiple hadith narrations.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ 1
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ 2
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ 3
He neither begets nor is born,
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ 4
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."