Hence, one of the virtues of this noble verse is that whoever recites it during the night will continue to have a guardian from Allah over him, and no devil will approach him until morning. This is recorded in Sahīh al-Bukhārī as part of a lengthy hadith narrated by Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him.1

Another of its virtues is what has been authentically reported in Sunan al-Nasāī and elsewhere from Abū Umāma—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Whoever recites the Throne Verse after every prescribed prayer will be prevented from entering Paradise only by death.”2 That is, nothing stands between him and entering Paradise except death. Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “I was told that our shaykh, Abū al-Abbās Ibn Taymiyya—may Allah sanctify his soul—said: ‘I have never neglected to recite it after any prayer.’”3

It is also authentically reported that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—affirmed the excellence of Surah al-Ikhlās and that it is equivalent to one-third of the Quran. In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Abū Saīd al-Khudrī—may Allah be pleased with him—reported that a man heard another man repeatedly reciting, “Say: He is Allah, the One.” The next morning, he went to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—and mentioned this to him, seeming to regard it as too little. The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul, it is indeed equivalent to one-third of the Quran.”4

Al-Bukhārī also narrated from Abū Saīd—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said to his Companions: “Is any of you unable to recite one-third of the Quran in a single night?” This proved difficult