Short answer
Many are not. Some virtues are in authentic hadith, such as those of al-Fatiha, al-Baqarah, Ayat al-Kursi, al-Kahf, al-Mulk, al-Ikhlas and the last two Quls. But a great deal of what circulates, especially "read this surah X times for Y", comes from weak or fabricated reports or from personal experience. Check the source before you share it.
Attributing to the Prophet ﷺ something he did not say is a major sin. Weak hadith may be acted on in virtues with conditions, but fabricated ones may not be quoted except to warn. Wazifas learned from the experience of righteous people are allowed if their content is sound, as long as they are not presented as sunnah.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in the Fire." Sharing a made-up virtue as a hadith, even with good intentions, falls under this warning.
Virtues with authentic sources:
- al-Fatiha: the greatest surah (al-Bukhari).
- al-Baqarah: Satan flees the house where it is read (Muslim). See al-Baqarah and Al Imran.
- Ayat al-Kursi: the greatest ayah, protection at night.
- al-Kahf: the first ten ayat protect from the Dajjal (Muslim).
- al-Mulk: a surah of thirty ayat that interceded for a man until he was forgiven (al-Tirmidhi, hasan). See al-Mulk.
- al-Ikhlas: equal to a third of the Quran (al-Bukhari).
- al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas three times morning and evening suffice you against everything (Abu Dawud).
- al-Fath: dearer to the Prophet ﷺ than all the sun rises upon. See al-Fath.
Weak or fabricated: the long hadith listing a reward for every surah, attributed to Ubayy ibn Ka'b, is fabricated by agreement of the hadith critics. Reports on Yasin as the heart of the Quran, al-Waqiah against poverty, the end of al-Hashr and 70,000 angels, and special benefits of Ta Ha or ad-Dukhan are weak. See Yasin and al-Waqiah.
Quick checks:
- Is a book and hadith number given? Can you find it?
- Does it promise huge rewards for tiny acts, or guarantee worldly results? That is a warning sign.
- Is it presented as "tried and tested"? Then it is experience, not sunnah. See what is a wazifa.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Israa 17:82
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا ﴿٨٢﴾
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
The whole Quran is healing and mercy, without needing invented promises.
Sahih al-Bukhari 110
Sahih... من كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار ...
"Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in the Fire."
Spreading invented hadith is a grave sin.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5013
Sahih... والذي نفسي بيده إنها لتعدل ثلث القرآن ...
"By the One in whose hand is my soul, it equals a third of the Quran."
An authentic virtue of Surah al-Ikhlas.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2891
Grading to be checked... إن سورة من القرآن ثلاثون آية شفعت لرجل حتى غفر له ...
"A surah of the Quran of thirty ayat interceded for a man until he was forgiven."
An authentic virtue of Surah al-Mulk.
Sunan Abi Dawud 5082
Grading to be checked... قل هو الله أحد والمعوذتين حين تمسي وحين تصبح ثلاث مرات تكفيك من كل شيء ...
"Say Qul huwa Allahu ahad and the two Mu'awwidhat in the evening and morning three times; they will suffice you against everything."
An authentic virtue of the last three surahs.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Muqaddimat Ibn al-Salah, Section on fabricated hadith. Names the hadith of Ubayy on the virtues of every surah as fabricated.
- al-Adhkar (al-Nawawi), Introduction, on acting on weak hadith in virtues. Conditions for acting on weak hadith in virtues.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.