What are the virtues of Surah al-Mulk?

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

Intercession: Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "There is a surah of the Quran of thirty ayat that interceded for a man until he was forgiven: Tabarak alladhi biyadihil mulk" (Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, graded hasan). Al-Mulk is the 67th surah and has exactly thirty ayat.

Protection in the grave: Ibn Mas'ud said that whoever recites Tabarak every night, Allah protects him by it from the punishment of the grave, and that in the time of the Prophet ﷺ they called it al-mani'ah, the protector. This is reported by al-Nasa'i in his larger collection. A similar report in al-Tirmidhi calls it "the protector and the saviour", but its chain is weak.

How people keep it:

• Recite it after Isha or in bed before sleeping. Many learn it by heart for this reason; it takes about five to ten minutes.
• Pair it with Surah al-Sajdah, which the Prophet ﷺ is also reported to have recited at night, and with the last three surahs.
• Reading it from a phone is fine: see reading lying down.

The surah itself is a reflection on Allah's power over life and death, the heavens and the earth, and the reckoning (67:1 to 2). Reading it with its meaning makes the habit stronger. Read it at Surah al-Mulk.

The evidence

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.