Surah Al-Mulk is a celestial shield, offering nightly protection from the grave’s torments and standing as an intercessor on the Day of Judgment. It’s a divine whisper from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), urging us to recite it before sleep.
Surah Al-Mulk invites us to gaze upon the heavens and recognize Allah’s perfect design, reminding us that life is a fleeting test and death an inevitable reality. It calls for deep reflection, repentance, and gratitude for Allah’s countless blessings.
In this article, we will talk about the names of this great Surah, its authentic merits and benefits, as well as some unauthentic narrations about it, what it teaches us as Muslims, what kind of protection it gives those who recite it every night, and how to learn and memorize this powerful chapter of the Quran.
Table of Contents
What is Surah Al-Mulk?
Surah Al-Mulk (“The Sovereignty”) is chapter 67 of the Holy Quran. It was revealed in Mekka, in the early period of Islam. As all chapters revealed in Mekka, it mainly concentrates on the basics of Islam: Allah as being the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Oneness of Allah, the creature of Man, how great and powerful Allah is, news about the hereafter and resurrection, and all these topics that have to do with the essence of religion.
Names Of Surah Al-Mulk
The name of any chapter of the Quran is very revealing of the virtue and purpose of that particular chapter. Surah Al-Mulk has, in fact, several names. From these names:
1- Al-Mulk (الملك):
This Arabic name: الملك means “Sovereignty”. That is revealing as the Surah mainly speaks about the absolute sovereignty of Allah over all creation. It further describes Allah’s power and perfect design of the universe. This is quite evident in the first verse of the Chapter:
“Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests all authority. And He is Most Capable of everything.“
“تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ”
2- Al-Munjia (المنجية):
This name means “the Saviour”. It is called so because one of its main merits is that it saves those who recite it every night, both in the grave and on the Day of Judgment, as we will see later in this article.
Ibn Abbas said that they (the Muslim people at the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) used to call this Surah “Al-Munjia” (المنجية) as it saves the one who reads it from the grave torture and hellfire in the hereafter.
3- Al-Waqia (الواقية):
This means “the Protector”. It also serves the above-mentioned theme of protection which will also be discussed below.
4- Al-Mani’a (المانعة):
This name also means “the Preventer of evil”.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Sūrat Tabārak (Sūrat al-Mulk) prevents the punishment of the grave.”
.“سُورَةُ تَبَارَكَ هِيَ المَانِعَةُ مِن عَذَابِ القَبر”
Benefits Of Surah Al-Mulk
Surah Al-Mulk has many virtues, some of them are well known and some are not. For example:
1- Protection From The Torment Of The Grave:
This is the most well-known benefit of Surah Al-Mulk. There is an authentic narration from Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that reading this Surah every night before going to bed protects the person from the torment of the grave after he/she dies.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Sūrat Tabārak (Sūrat al-Mulk) prevents the punishment of the grave.”
سُورَةُ تَبَارَكَ هِيَ المَانِعَةُ مِن عَذَابِ القَبر.
2- Intercession On The Day Of Judgement:
There is an authentic Hadith that emphasizes that Surah Al-Mulk will intercede, on the day of judgment, for the person who recites it every night. So it will plead to Allah for forgiveness for him/her and make him/her go to Jannah.
In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“There is a sūrah in the Qur’ān of thirty verses; it intercedes for a man until he is forgiven, and it is Sūrat Tabārak (Blessed Be He in Whose Hand is the Dominion).”
“إِنَّ سُورَةً مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثَلاَثُونَ آيَةً شَفَعَتْ لِرَجُلٍ حَتَّى غُفِرَ لَهُ وَهِيَ سُورَةُ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ”.
However, there is an important point to highlight here. According to Ayatul Kursi, nothing can ever intercede for any person in front of Allah, except with Allah’s permission:
“Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission?”
“مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ”
(َQuran, 2:255)
Therefore, it is true that Surah Al-Mulk can intercede for the person who reads it every night and thus can lead him/her to Jannah, but only with Allah’s permission.
3- Reading It Is The Recommendation Of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him):
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself – whom Allah has forgiven all his sins – was very keen to recite Surah Al-Mulk before going to sleep.
Jābir ibn Abdullāh reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not sleep until He had recited Sūrah as-Sajdah (32) and Sūrah al-Mulk (67).
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ لاَ يَنَامُ حَتَّى يَقْرَأَ: (الم * تَنْزِيلُ) وَ( تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ).
This shows how important it is to recite it every night to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
Unauthentic Narrations Attributed To Surah Al-Mulk
There are some narrations attributed to Surah Al-Mulk, but they are unauthentic. This means they cannot be traced back to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These are numerous, to name but a few:
1- A Man Reciting Surah Al-Mulk In His Grave:
There is a weak narration about a companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who told the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he heard a man reciting Surah Al-Mulk from inside a grave and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told him that Surah Al-Mulk is the defender from the grave.
Even though the general concept is true in another Hadith, this specific narration is unauthentic.
The narration is:
“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: ‘Oh Messenger of Allah, I pitched my tent on a grave without realizing that it 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.'” (Grade of the narration: Weak)
“ضَرَبَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خِبَاءَهُ عَلَى قَبْرٍ وَهُوَ لاَ يَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ قَبْرٌ فَإِذَا فِيهِ إِنْسَانٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ حَتَّى خَتَمَهَا فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي ضَرَبْتُ خِبَائِي عَلَى قَبْرٍ وَأَنَا لاَ أَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ قَبْرٌ فَإِذَا فِيهِ إِنْسَانٌ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ تَبَارَكَ الْمُلْكُ حَتَّى خَتَمَهَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “هِيَ الْمَانِعَةُ هِيَ الْمُنْجِيَةُ تُنْجِيهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ”.” (درجة الحديث: ضعيف)
2- Reciting Surah Al-Mulk In The Morning:
There is another unauthentic narration that says,
“Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to recite Surah Al-Mulk in the morning”.
رسولَ اللهِ صلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّم قرَأ في الصُّبحِ: تَبَارَكَ الذي بِيَدِهِ المُلكُ
This narration grade is weak, as there is a clear authentic Hadith where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tells Muslims to recite it every night – and not every morning.
3- Reciting Surah Al-Mulk Equals Worshipping at Al-Qadr Night:
There is an unauthentic narration that says that whoever reads Surah Al-Sajda and Surah Al-Mulk is as devoted as if he was awake for worshipping Allah at Al-Qadr Night.
The narration is:
“He who recites Surah Sajda and Surah Al-Mulk, between Maghrib (sunset) prayer and Isha’a (evening) prayer is as though he kept awake at Al-Qadr Night (for prayer and devotion)”.
“مَن قرأَ سورة “تَنْزِيلُ” السَّجدةِ و”تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ” بين المغرب والعشاء فَكأنَّما أحيا ليلةَ القدر”.
(Narration grade: Fabricated)
4. Naming A Son Muhammad And Teaching Him Surah Al-Mulk:
There is another false narration associated with Surah Al-Mulk.
The narration is:
“If any Muslim man has a son, names him Muhammad and teaches him how to recite Surah Al-Mulk, he will be guided to Jannah on a Paradise she-camel with ornaments… and on his head a light crown … in which he takes pride in Jannah”.
ما من أحدٍ مِن أمَّتي رزقَهُ اللَّهُ تعالى ولدًا ذَكَرًا فسمَّاهُ محمَّدًا وعلَّمَهُ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ إلا حشرَهُ اللَّهُ تعالى على ناقةٍ من نوقِ الجنَّةِ مُدبَّجةِ الجنبينِ خطامُها منَ اللُّؤلؤِ الرَّطِبِ على رأسِهِ تاجٌ من نورٍ، وإِكْليلٌ من نورٍ، يفتَخرُ بِهِ في الجنَّةِ.
(Narration grade: Unauthentic)
These are all false or at least weak narrations that cannot be traced back to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Things To Learn From Surah Al-Mulk
Surah Al-Mulk offers a wealth of guidance and wisdom for those who recite it and reflect on its meaning. Here are some of these pearls of wisdom:
1- Life As A Test And Death As A Reality:
Surah Al-Mulk reminds all of us that this worldly life is merely a test for all mankind and that death is coming for every person. Then, we shall all be held accountable for our deeds, good or bad, in this life. So it tells us to get prepared, with as many good deeds as we can, for the Day of Judgement. It motivates all people to choose the right path, strive for righteousness, and avoid all bad deeds, to succeed in their test and end up in Jannah.
This is clear in the verse:
“˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving.”
“ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ”
2- A Call For Reflection On Allah’s Might Through The Universe:
The Surah encourages us to reflect on the creation of this tremendous universe; the heavens and the earth and whichever between them, to see Allah’s immense power and perfect design.
This is clear in verses 3 and 4:
“˹He is the One˺ Who created seven heavens, one above the other. You will never see any imperfection in the creation of the Most Compassionate. So look again: do you see any flaws? Then look again and again—your sight will return frustrated and weary.”
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍۢ طِبَاقًۭا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِي خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍۢ ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍۢ ٣ ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًۭا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌۭ ٤”
(Quran, 67:3, 67:4)
In these verses, Allah tells us to reflect on the creation of the universe around us to discover that everything is accurately designed and in perfect harmony. There are no flaws whatsoever in Allah’s Creation, despite being so tremendous and magnificent.
3- Seeking Allah’s Forgiveness:
Surah Al-Mulk emphasizes that all people are prone to committing mistakes, and encourages us to always seek Allah’s forgiveness. This is clear in the verse:
“Indeed, those in awe of their Lord without seeing Him1 will have forgiveness and a mighty reward.”
“إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَأَجْرٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ”
4- Highlighting That Allah Is All-Knowing:
Surah Al-Mulk sheds light on the fact that Allah knows EVERYTHING. One of the reasons why this chapter was revealed is that some disbelievers tried to harm Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and tried to keep it secret amongst themselves “so that the God of Muhammad wouldn’t know”, they said. So this verse was revealed:
“Whether you speak secretly or openly—He surely knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.”
“وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ”
In this verse, Allah makes it clear that He knows every single thing in His universe. So if anybody tries to hide anything, Allah still knows it in detail. Then Allah asks them a rhetorical question:
“How could He not know His Own creation? For He ˹alone˺ is the Most Subtle, All-Aware.”
“أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ”
In this verse, Allah makes it crystal clear that He knows everything about all human beings, simply because He is the One who has created them in the first place.
5- Being Thankful For Allah’s Blessings:
Surah Al-Mulk sheds light on Allah’s blessings for mankind and directs all human beings to be thankful to Allah. This is quite evident in the following verse:
“Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is the One Who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.”
“قُلْ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۖ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ”
In this verse, Allah says that He is the One who created mankind and blessed them with hearing, sight, and intellect; however, humans are hardly thankful to Allah. So this chapter invites all mankind, both believers and disbelievers, to reflect on their own creation and blessings and give Allah His due thanks.
Why should we read Surah Mulk every night?
We should read Surah Al-Mulk every night because it serves as a powerful spiritual protector, offering nightly protection from the torment of the grave and standing as an intercessor on the Day of Judgment.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) urged us to recite it before sleep, emphasizing its importance. Reciting Surah Al-Mulk aligns us with the Prophet’s practice, providing divine wisdom and protection in this life and the hereafter.
What does Surah Mulk protect you from?
Surah Al-Mulk protects you from the torment of the grave. Reciting it every night acts as a shield, safeguarding against the punishments after death and providing intercession on the Day of Judgment.
How To Learn And Memorize Surah Al-Mulk
Surah Al-Mulk should be easy to memorize once you learn its meaning, Tafseer, and reasons for revelation. You can make use of some tips about how to memorize any average chapter of the Quran fast here.
In just a couple of hours, you can learn the Tafseer of Surah Al-Mulk as It consists of only 30 verses. For further help, You can join one of the highly valued Tafseer courses offered by Riwaq Al Quran to accomplish this task even faster. Then, you can sign up for one of our online memorization courses where you can have guidance and support from one of our experienced Quran mentors.
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Conclusion
Surah Al-Mulk offers numerous benefits, including protection from the torment of the grave, intercession on the Day of Judgment, and the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) recommendation to recite it nightly.
The Surah emphasizes the reality of life’s test, Allah’s immense power through the universe, the importance of seeking forgiveness, Allah’s all-encompassing knowledge, and being thankful for His blessings.
It is the recommendation of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for his nation to recite Surah Al-Mulk every night. This is clear evidence of the importance he placed on this particular Surah of the Quran.
Surah Al-Mulk teaches us how to reflect on Allah’s creation and be thankful to Him in this life. It also highly benefits those believers who are keen to recite it every night, both after they die and on the Day of Judgement.
All of the merits and lessons that this great Surah teaches us highlight its high status in Islam as guidance in this worldly life, a savior from the torment of the grave after death, and a potential path towards forgiveness and hence Jannah in the Hereafter.
