2) The Virtues of Ayat Al-Kursi
The merits of Ayat al-Kursi have been mentioned in numerous hadiths. Although the Quran itself and every verse therein are of excellence, Ayat al-Kursi is certainly the most excellent verse of all its verses. This verse is called Ayat al-Kursi due to the word ?Kursi? being mentioned in it. Of all the chapters in the Quran, the most excellent chapter is Surat al-Ikhlas, and the most excellent verse is Ayat al-Kursi. One virtue of Ayat al-Kursi is that more reward is obtained for reading it than any other verse.
Allamah Ghulam Rasul Sa?idi writes that scholars have said that verses of the Quran where accounts of believers are mentioned are more excellent than verses of the Quran in which accounts of infidels and hypocrites are mentioned. Similarly, verses of the Quran where prophets (Peace be upon them) are mentioned are more excellent than verses of the Quran where believers are mentioned. And, verses of the Quran where the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is mentioned are more excellent than verses where other prophets (Peace be upon them) are mentioned. Verses of the Quran where the names of Allah Most High are praised are more excellent than all other verses including verses where the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is mentioned.
The reason why Ayat al-Kursi is the most excellent verse, is that this verse mentions the names of Allah Most High more than any other verse (i.e. this verse contains the most remembrance (dhikr) of Allah Most High). For example, some verses of the Quran may mention the names of Allah Most High two times, some may mention the names of Allah Most High four times, and some ten times. But in Ayat al-Kursi, the names of Allah Most High have been mentioned seventeen times. Ayat al-Kursi mentions six attributes (sifat) of Allah Most High, all six being mentioned in this single verse. The attributes mentioned are: the Divine Oneness (Wahdaniyyah) of Allah Most High, His Life (Hayah), His Knowledge (?Ilm), His Kingdom (Mulk), His Divine Power (Qudrah) and His Will (Iradah).
[Sharh Sahih Muslim: Fada?il al-Qur?an, under Surat al-Kahf & Ayat al-Kursi. Allamah Ghulam Rasul Sa?idi]
Imam Muslim writes that Ubayy bin Ka?b (Allah be well pleased with him) narrated that one day, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked ?O Ubayy! What is the most excellent verse of the Quran?? Ubayy replied, ?Allah and His Messenger know best.? The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ?In your opinion, what is the most excellent verse of the Quran?? Ubayy bin Ka?b replied, ?Allah ? There is no god but He?(i.e. Ayat al-Kursi). The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) placed his hand on his chest and said, ?O Ubayy bin Ka?b! May your knowledge be pleasant for you.?
[Sahih Muslim: Fada?il al-Qur?an, under Surat al-Kahf & Ayat al-Kursi. Imam Muslim]
Imam Tirmidhi writes that Abu Hurayrah (Allah be well pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that whomsoever recites the first verses of Surat al-Mu?minun and then Ayat al-Kursi in the morning, will remain under the protection of Allah Most High until the evening. Similarly, whomsoever reads this during the night, will remain under the protection of Allah Most High until the morning.
[al-Jam? al-Tirmidhi: Tafsir of Surat al-Baqarah, under Ayat al-Kursi. Imam al-Tirmidhi]
Imam Abu Dawud writes that Wathala (Allah be well pleased with him) reported that one day a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and asked, ?What is the most excellent verse of the Quran?? The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied, ?Ayat al-Kursi.?
[Sunan Abi Dawud: Fada?il al-Qur?an. Imam Abu Dawud]
Imam Darmi writes that the Devil flees from a home in which Ayat al-Kursi is recited, and does not return until the next morning. Abu Sanan (Allah be well pleased with him) reported that whomsoever reads the first four verses of Surat al-Baqarah, Ayat al-Kursi, and then the last three verses of Surat al-Baqarah will not forget the Quran. Ishaq added that whatever one learns, would not be forgotten. Asma? bint Yazid (Allah be well pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that al-ism al-a?zam (The greatest name of Allah Most High) is contained within Ayat al-Kursi.
[Darmi: Chapter Fada?il al-Quran. Imam Darmi]
Qadi Thana?ullah writes that Abu Hurayrah (Allah be well pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that Ayat al-Kursi is the chief of all verses of the Quran. Anas (Allah be well pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that Ayat al-Kursi is equal to a quarter of the Quran. Abu Amamah (Allah be well pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that whomsoever recites Ayat al-Kursi in the night before sleeping, Allah Most High will protect him, his house and the neighbouring houses.
[Tafsir al-Mazhari: Under Ayat al-Kursi. Qadi Thana?ullah Pani-pathi]
Allamah Ghulam Rasul Sa?idi writes that al-ism al-a?zam is the greatest name of Allah Most High. Allah Most High has ninety-nine names, and only this one is His Greatest name, and hence called al-ism al-a?zam. If someone makes supplication to Allah Most High and mentions al-ism al-a?zam, Allah Most High will answer it, in sha Allah. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that whomsoever, after the obligatory prayer, recites Ayat al-Kursi, Allah Most High will protect him until the next prayer. The Prophets, the Truthful Ones and the Martyrs, were steadfast upon its recitation. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said that whomsoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after each prayer, will enter Paradise straight away after death. This hadith has been narrated by Imam Nisa?i, Imam Tabarani, Imam Ibn Sunni, Hafiz al-Haythami and Imam al-Bayhaqi.
[Tafseer Tibiyan al-Quran: Tafseer Ayat al-Kursi. Allamah Ghulam Rasul Sa?idi]
Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes, in his commentary on Ayat al-Kursi that the chain of transmission of the above hadith is weak. Ibn al-Jawzi has said that this hadith has been fabricated.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Under Ayat al-Kursi. Hafiz Ibn Kathir]
Although the chain of transmission may be weak, surely other, strong hadiths have informed of the excellence and benefits of Ayat al-Kursi. If the above mentioned hadith of the recitation of Ayat al-Kursi after obligatory prayer, being rewarded by one being admitted into heaven without questioning, is fabricated, there is no doubt that Allah Most High will reward greatly, the one who recites Ayat al-Kursi after the obligatory prayer. And Allah Most High knows best.
Imam Bukhari writes that Abu Hurayrah (Allah be well pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) deputised me to keep Sadaqah of Ramadan. Someone came and started taking handfuls of the Sadaqah, quickly. I took hold of him and said, ?By Allah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allah.? He said, ?I am needy and have many dependents.? I released him, and in the morning the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked me, ?What did your prisoner do yesterday?? I said, ?O Messenger of Allah! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go.? The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ?Indeed, he told you a lie and he will return.? I believed that he would return again as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he returned and started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, ?I will definitely take you to the Messenger of Allah . He said, ?Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again.? I pitied him and let him go.
In the morning the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked me, ?What did your prisoner do?? I replied, ?O Messenger of Allah! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free.? The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ?Verily, he told you a lie and he will return.? I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he came and started stealing handfuls of the Sadaqah, I caught hold of him and said, ?I will surely take you to the Messenger of Allah as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come.? He said, ?Forgive me and I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you.? I asked, ?What are they?? He replied, ?Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi: ?Allah ? There is no God but He, the Living, the Everlasting,? till you finish the whole verse. If you do so, Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no devil will come near you till morning.? So, I released him. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked, ?What did your prisoner do yesterday?? I replied, ?He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go.? The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) asked, ?What are they?? I replied, ?He said to me, ?Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi from the beginning to the end: ?Allah ? There is no God but He, the Living, the Everlasting.? He further said to me, ?If you do so, Allah will appoint a guard for you, who will stay with you, and no devil will come near you till morning.? (Abu Hurayrah or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ?He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Hurayra?? Abu Hurayra said, ?No.? He said, ?It was the Devil.?
[Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of Wakalah. Imam al-Bukhari]
Source:
http://www.islamicinformationcentre.co.uk/alkursi.htm
