The Benefits of Reading and Listening Surah Waqiah

When the earth will be violently shaken,

and the mountains will be crushed to pieces,

becoming scattered ˹particles of˺ dust,

you will ˹all˺ be ˹divided into˺ three groups:

the people of the right, how ˹blessed˺ will they be;

the people of the left, how ˹miserable˺ will they be;

and the foremost ˹in faith˺ will be the foremost ˹in Paradise˺.

(Surah Al-Waq’iah 56:4 – 56:10)

Surah Waqiah or Surah Al-Waqi’ah is the 56th Surah of the Quran. This relatively long Surah comprises 96 verses and is referred to as “the event” or “the inevitable” in English.

Widely believed to be a Meccan surah, Al Waq’iah describes the Day of Judgment and the fate of believers and non-believers in a powerful discourse. True to the Quran’s beautiful style of narration, this Surah also paints a vivid picture of the Day of Judgment.

Are there benefits of Surah Waqiah? Yes indeed! Reciting and listening to the entire Holy Quran is filled with blessings and benefits for mankind. Some surah of the Quran is recited especially for certain benefits; in this article, we discuss the benefits unique to Surah Waqiah along with its message and lessons in light of hadith and Islamic history.

The Message of Surah Waqiah

فَسَبِّحْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

So glorify the Name of your Lord, the Greatest. (Al Waq’iah 56:96)

Before looking for the benefits of Surah Waqiah, you must understand the teachings and message of the Surah. Vividly and clearly, the Surah declares that all humans should believe in Allah to become one of the righteous as, on the Day of Judgment, the righteous will be rewarded while the non-believers will suffer punishment.

The Surah discusses life after death and elaborates on the belief in the resurrection. In Islam, resurrection or life after death is one of the main pillars of the faith. Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment, a day on which Allah will raise the dead and reward or punish them for their deeds on earth.

In this Surah, Allah explicitly describes that on the Day of Judgment, all people will be divided into three groups:

• The Foremost in Faith

These individuals are amongst the first ones to accept Islam and are highest in the ranks of Muslims due to their obedience to Allah and their relationships with Allah’s creatures on earth. These individuals will be the first to enter Jannah and will hold the highest ranks therein.

• The People of the Right

The believers who believe in Allah’s oneness, His Prophet, and His teachings but is not the perfect believer. These individuals may be punished for their crime but will ultimately enter Jannah and occupy ranks that suit their status (how closely they followed Allah’s commandments on earth).

• The People of the Left

The non-believers and habitual sinners are the people of the left, and there is nothing but scorching water and fire of hell for them. These people will be punished on the Day of Judgment, and they will cry to have chosen the side of loss while on earth.

The ultimate message of the Surah is that Allah has presented His religion to all mankind, and they should have mercy on themselves by choosing to believe in Allah and reap the benefits on the Day of Judgment.

Benefits of Reading Surah Waqiah

The first and foremost benefit of Surah Waqiah is that it tells us about the Da of Judgment and the rewards and punishments that await us there. Other than this, expansion of sustenance and protection from poverty are the most cited benefits of Surah Waqiah.

The following hadiths prove this claim:

Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reported that Rasulullah (ﷺ) said: ‘Surah Waqi’ah will become a protection from poverty for the one who recites it every night.’

(Mukhtasar Ithafus sadatil Maharah, Hadith: 6556; Takhrijul Kash-shaf, vol.3 pg.412; Lisanul MIzan, no: 8902)

Note: Although we did not find any online citation of the hadith, renowned modern Muslim scholars of hadithanswers.com, and Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Deoband, India, authentic sources of ahadith and Islamic information, say that this hadith is true and a sahih hadith. Allah knows best.

There are two more weak ahadith that are referenced by authentic sources to validate the claims:

“Surah Waqiah is the surah of wealth, so recite it and teach it to your children.” (Ibn Asakir)

“Whoever recites Surah al-Waqiah every night, he will never be afflicted by poverty. And Ibn Masood (R.A) used to order his daughters to read it every night.”  (Shuaib al-Iman 4/120, number 2269)

Most Muslim scholars agree that although the second and third hadith is weak, there is no harm in reciting Surah Waqiah to attain self-sufficiency. Scholars urge Muslims to have complete faith or Tawakkul in Allah. When you recite with the utmost belief and faith, it is bound to come true.

Should We Recite Surah Waqiah Every Night?

According to the above-mentioned hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advised the Ummah to recite it every night to thwart poverty. Therefore, the best time to recite the Surah is before sleeping. According to your preference, you can recite it between the prayers of Maghrib and Isha or after Isha, before you go to bed.

Reciting it every day reminds you of the fact that ALLAH is in control. It does not take more than 5 minutes to read it, and the rewards are just too big. The world that we are living in is full of tensions and stress. So, this Surah provides an array of worldly benefits for good earning, which is why it is also called the Surah of Wealth.

Surah Waqiah- The Surah of Wealth

The Holy Quran is a source of everlasting blessings and barakah for believers who recite it and incorporate it’s teachings in their daily lives. There is no doubt that every word contains a message that is a source of guidance for all mankind, and we must hold on to Allah’s word as it is the route of ultimate success in this world and hereafter.

Keeping in view the aforementioned facts, we can easily say that Surah Waqiah is one of the most important and powerful Surahs of the Holy Quran. Therefore, we advise you to recite it daily. It will save you from poverty and also remind you that there is a life after death.

If you want to learn about the benefits of reading other Surah’s of the Holy Quran, Read: M&Q _ Why You Should Recite Surah Falaq Before Sleeping