Reciting Sura Al-kahf On Friday

[La fata illa Ali]

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem:

Salamun 'alaykum w/r w/b:

Our Sunni brothers often read sura Al-Kahf (the cave) on Fridays.

Is this also recommended for us Shia?

I know reciting quran is always a good thing but do we have narrations that it is recommended to recite surah Al-Kahf on Fridays?

I found this document from Duas.org: www.duas.org/suraben.doc

If you search for surah Al-Kahf, you will see that it states the following:

Surah al-Kahf (The Cave)

This surah has 110 ayaat and it was revealed in Makkah. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) has said that whoever recites this surah will be protected from fitna (evil) for eight days. If a person recites the last verse of surah al-Kahf before sleeping at night, Allah (s.w.t.) creates a noor (light) from his sleeping place up to the Holy Ka’bah and in this light are angels who continually pray for the reciter until he wakes up.

It is narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) that if a person wishes to wake up at a particular time, he should recite the last ayah of this surah and then make the intention that he will wake up at a certain time and he will wake up at that time. He (a.s.) also said that if a person recites this surah every Thursday night, he will die the death of a martyr. Keeping this surah (written) in the house becomes a means of protection from poverty and debts.

So there is no mention of reciting on Friday itself.

1) Does anyone know if there is authentic hadith which says to recite surah Al-Kahf on Friday it self from Shia sources?

2) Does any Sunni Brothers out there know the hadith which you folk use to convince yourselves that reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday is recomended and the benefits in this world and the next of this action?

Shukran.

Wassalam w/r w/b:

La fatah ila Ali

Edited April 6, 2011 by La fatah ila Ali

[akf]

(wasalam)

Brother in the Islamic calendar, the day starts at maghrib. So when it says Thursday night, it means Friday ( eg Dua Kumail is recommended to be read the night of (i.e before) Friday. )

But anyway, here's the Hadith:

ÝÖíáÉ ÓæÑÉ ÇáßåÝ 1 - ÚÜä ÑÓÜæá Çááøå (Õ ) ÞÜÇá : ÇÁáÇ ÇÁÏáßã Úáì ÓæÑÉ ÔíÚåÇ ÓÈÚæä ÇÁáÝ ãáß , Ííä äÒáÊ ãáÇÊ ÚÙãÊåÇ ãÇ Èíä ÇáÓãÇÁ æÇáÇÑÖ ¿ ÞÇáæÇ: Èáì .

ÞÜÇá ÑÓÜæá Çááøå (Õ ): ÓÜæÑÉ ÇÁÕÜÍÜÇÈ ÇáÜßåÝ ãä ÞÑÇÁåÇ íæã ÇáÌãÚÉ ÛÝÑ Çááøå áå Çáì ÇáÌãÚÉ ÇáÇÎÑì , æÒíÇÏÉ ËáÇËÉ ÇÁíÇã , æÇÁÚØí äæÑÇ íÈáÛ ÇáÓãÇÁ, ææÞí ÝÊäÉ ÇáÏÌÇá.

ãÌãÚ ÇáÈíÇä , Ì 3, Õ 447.

On the virtues of Surat Al-Kahf, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that he said: "Should I point you towards a surah whose reciters (?) are 70 000 angels, whose greatness filled what is between the heaven and earth when it was sent down?"

They said: "Yes."

The Prophet said: "It is the surah of the Companians of the Cave. Whoever reads it during the day of Friday, Allah will forgive his sins until the next Friday and three more days and will be given light that will reach the sky and will be protected from the fitnah of Dajjal.

Majma' Al-Bayan, Part 3, page 447

[La fata illa Ali]

(wasalam)

Brother in the Islamic calendar, the day starts at maghrib. So when it says Thursday night, it means Friday ( eg Dua Kumail is recommended to be read the night of (i.e before) Friday. )

But anyway, here's the Hadith:

فضيلة سورة الكهف 1 - عـن رسـول اللّه (ص ) قـال : اءلا اءدلكم على سورة شيعها سبعون اءلف ملك , حين نزلت ملات عظمتها ما بين السماء والارض ؟ قالوا: بلى .

قـال رسـول اللّه (ص ): سـورة اءصـحـاب الـكهف من قراءها يوم الجمعة غفر اللّه له الى الجمعة الاخرى , وزيادة ثلاثة اءيام , واءعطي نورا يبلغ السماء, ووقي فتنة الدجال.

مجمع البيان , ج 3, ص 447.

On the virtues of Surat Al-Kahf, from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that he said: "Should I point you towards a surah whose reciters (?) are 70 000 angels, whose greatness filled what is between the heaven and earth when it was sent down?"

They said: "Yes."

The Prophet said: "It is the surah of the Companians of the Cave. Whoever reads it during the day of Friday, Allah will forgive his sins until the next Friday and three more days and will be given light that will reach the sky and will be protected from the fitnah of Dajjal.

Majma' Al-Bayan, Part 3, page 447

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem:

Salamun 'alaykum w/r w/b:

Thank you for the Hadith!

However the argument you have presented seems contradictory.

I am aware that Maghrib indicates the beginning of the next day. However, the hadith clearly states that "Whoever reads it during the day of Friday".

So lets examine this: Maghrib marks the beginning of the night of the next day. i.e. What we call "Thursday night' in North America is actually "Friday night". But a distinction has to be made between the

1) The Night of Friday

2) The Day of Friday

The night of Friday begins at Maghrib and goes till the time of Imsak or Fajr (one of the two). At this point...the day of Friday begins and ends at the time of Maghrib which is the night of Saturday and so on.

So your statement "So when it says Thursday night, it means Friday" is not academic enough and lacks the clarity between the division of night and day.

Now lets go back to the Hadith. The Prophet was extra specific to indicate "...Whoever reads it during the day of Friday..."

He did not say "...Whoever reads it during Friday...(which would include both the night and day of Friday together)"

This leads me to believe that if one wanted to follow the hadith specifically, then reciting it during the day portion of Friday (during fajr or after fajr but before Maghrib) is accurately practicing the hadith rather than reciting it during Friday night (Thursday night in North American thinking).

Also, is the hadith that you quoted from a shia book? I am not well versed with the islamic books of hadith.

Please critique my analysis and let me know if you disagree as I really want to follow the hadith accurately. It is important to me whether it is read on Friday Night (thurday evening) or on the day portion of Friday itself.

Shukran

Wassalam w/r w/b:

La fatah ila Ali

Edited April 6, 2011 by La fatah ila Ali

[Nader Zaveri]

(salam)

(bismillah)

Also, is the hadith that you quoted from a shia book? I am not well versed with the islamic books of hadith.

You don't know the basic books of tafaaseer and hadeeth of the Shee`ahs and yet you want to critique and analyze hadeeth? Am I missing something here?

Here is another hadeeth about the virtues of Soorah Al-Kahf, the sanad (chain of narrators) is da`eef (weak):

حدثني محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل قال حدثني محمد بن يحيى قال حدثني محمد بن أحمد عن محمد بن حسان عن إسماعيل بن مهران قال حدثني الحسن بن علي عن أبيه عن أبي عبد الله ع قال من قرأ سورة الكهف كل ليلة جمعة لم يمت إلا شهيدا أو يبعثه الله من الشهداء و وقف يوم القيامة مع الشهداء

From Ismaa`eel bin Mihraan said Al-Hasan bin `Alee narrated to me from his father from Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام) said: “Whoever recited Soorah Al-Kahf every Friday night (i.e. Thursday night per Gregorian calendar) he will not die except with the Shaheeds (martyrs) or Allaah will resurrect him from the shaheeds and he will stand on the Day of Judgment with the Shaheeds”

• Source:
  
• Al-Sadooq, Thawaab Al-`Amaal, pg. 107 - 108

Notice it says ليلة جمعة (Friday night), which Friday night technically starts Thursday night for whoever uses the Gregorian calendar. And yes, this is a Shee`ah book.

Here is another soorah that is recommended to recite on Friday night (aka Thursday night)

ثواب من قرأ سورة بني إسرائيل

Reward for Reciting Soorah Banee Israa’eel (17)

بهذا الإسناد عن الحسن عن الحسين بن أبي العلاء عن أبي عبد الله ع قال ما من عبد قرأ سورة بني إسرائيل في كل ليلة جمعة لم يمت حتى يدرك القائم ع و يكون من أصحابه

From Al-Hussayn bin Abee `Alaa from Abee `Abd Allaah (عليه السلام): “There is no servant who reads Soorah Banee Israa`eel in every Friday night (i.e. Thursday night), that he doesn’t die except he understands Al-Qaa’im (عليه السلام) and he becomes from among his companions”

• Source:
  
• Al-Sadooq, Thawaab Al-`Amaal, pg. 107

(salam)

Edited April 6, 2011 by Nader Zaveri

[Nader Zaveri]

(salam)

(bismillah)

I have made a blog post where I have provided a SaHeeH (Authentic) for reciting Soorah Al-Kahf (18) on Friday night. After the blog post, I have broke down and analyzed the chain of narrators.

click here: Merits of Surah Al-Kahf

(salam)

[La fata illa Ali]

Bismillahirahmanirraheem:

Salamun 'alaykum:

Thank you Nader Zaveri.

Yes, I do not know the major books (other than Al-Kafi) but I have a brain and so that is all you need for analysis. I did not appreciate your previous comment at all.

Nonetheless, Your hadith have convinced me to read it on Thursday night just like the document form duas.org suggested.

Thank you for this.

Again I wanted to highlight that this is different from our sunni brothers as they heavily emphasize to read it during the day portion of friday and it made me curious as to the correct timing.

Again thank you for clarifying that it is Thursday evening that is the best time to recite surah Al-Kahf.

Much appreciated.

As for Surah Bani Isra'il, yes I have read that hadith before and I hope both you and I get a chance to meet the Imam (atfs) one day! Inshallah.

Wassalam w/r w/b:

La fatah ila Ali

Edited April 6, 2011 by La fatah ila Ali

[Nader Zaveri]

(salam)

(bismillah)

Again I wanted to highlight that this is different from our sunni brothers as they heavily emphasize to read it during the day portion of friday and it made me curious as to the correct timing.

No, actually the Sunnis say you can read it both on the Night and Day of Jumu`ah. They have hadeeth that suggest to read it on both times.

clck here: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/10700/

(salam)

[La fata illa Ali]

(salam)

(bismillah)

No, actually the Sunnis say you can read it both on the Night and Day of Jumu`ah. They have hadeeth that suggest to read it on both times.

clck here: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/10700/

(salam)

Salamun `alaykum w/r w/b:

Again thank you.

I should have been more clear. I meant to say that the few sunni`s that I know, seem to only know that they should read it during the day.

Thank you for the link as I can now show them that it can be read at night or the day.

Shukran.

wassalam.

La fatah ila Ali

[pepsi_max]

thanks

[Jafri213]

I am reading surah kahf now n hope it to get reward from Allah.

[Diaz]

I started reading surat al Kahf every Friday since 2-3 months ago, I was wondering if I recited it before Maghreb prayer, will it be counted as reciting it during Friday or no?

[Shian e Ali]

10 hours ago, Diaz said:

I started reading surat al Kahf every Friday since 2-3 months ago, I was wondering if I recited it before Maghreb prayer, will it be counted as reciting it during Friday or no?

Yes. 

[Inspector]

On 4/6/2011 at 5:55 AM, La fata illa Ali said:

Is this also recommended for us Shia?

According to few historical records it is said that the severed head of Imam Hussain (عليه السلام) was reciting the first few verses of this profound surah. So it has its merits indeed. 

Holy Quran is one of the weighty things mentioned in hadith e thaqalayn so there should be no problem for anyone to recite any of its surah or verses any time. It is highly recommended to cling to Quran, recite it daily. And this profound surah specifically possess a lot for us.

So personally, I would strongly recommend to recite it whenever you got the time. One merit of its one verse is that if you failed to wakeup timely for fajar prayers, it is recommended to recite the last verse of this chapter before sleeping and you will Insha Allah wakeup timely at fajar. Here is that verse;

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا {110}

[Shakir 18:110] Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your god is one Allah, therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the service of his Lord.

Wassalam!