Four Surahs’ Series - Part Four ~ Surah Waaqi‘ah

Surah Waaqi‘ah is the 56th surah of the Quraan Majeed and can be found in the 27th juz (para), immediately after Surah Rahmaan.

The special virtue and benefit of Surah Waaqi‘ah is that the one who recites it every night will be saved from poverty. (Shu‘abul Imaan #2267)

On the occasion when Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) lay on his deathbed and was approaching his final moments, Sayyiduna ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), who was the khaleefah at the time, came to visit him.

During the visit, Sayyiduna ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked him, “Should I not instruct for you to be given an allowance?” Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I have no need for it.” Sayyiduna ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) responded, “The allowance will be for your daughters (after your demise).” To this, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) answered, “Do you fear that my daughters will fall into poverty? (You should not have this fear as) I have instructed my daughters to recite Surah Waaqi‘ah every night. Indeed I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mention, ‘The person who recites Surah Waaqi‘ah every night, poverty will never afflict him.’” (Usdul Ghaabah vol. 3, pg. 77)

One of the most common fears which people face is that of poverty. If they do not have this fear for themselves, then they have it for their children and progeny after them – especially their daughters, granddaughters, etc. In this regard, the commonly encountered mindset is, “What if she is divorced? Or widowed? Or her husband cannot support her?” To allay this fear of poverty, which is merely a distant possibility, it has now become a trend for parents to send their young daughters to universities, and subsequently into the corporate environment, so that they have a career ‘to fall back on’. It is as if we are saying – Allah Ta‘ala forbid! – that if we do not send our daughters into these sin-filled environments, Allah Ta‘ala will not give them their sustenance later on in life! The tragic reality is that many have fallen backwards in these sin-filled environments – backwards in their imaan, respect, chastity, etc. May Allah Ta‘ala protect us all, aameen.     

The problem is not one of understanding – it is one of imaan. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had firm imaan that Allah Ta‘ala alone provides sustenance. Hence, he knew that the best ‘investment’ that he could leave for his daughters, securing their financial future, was Surah Waaqi‘ah. Such was his imaan that he even turned down the allowance of the khaleefah!

Let us all ‘invest’ in Surah Waaqi‘ah by reciting this surah, which comprises of just 5 pages, every single night, together with Surahs Yaseen, Mulk and Sajdah. Insha-Allah, the returns on this investment will be enjoyed in this world and the next. However, it is obvious that to attain the benefit of these recitations, one must also fulfil all the obligations of Deen and refrain from sin. 

May Allah Ta‘ala grant us the steadfastness to remain punctual on the recitation of these four surahs every night until we pass away, aameen.