ভূমিকা

Occasion of Revelation of the Surah On the occasion of revelation of this Surah, a tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) says: "A Jew asked the holy Prophet (S) to describe the identity or to relate the geneology of Allah. He remained silent and gave no answer for three days, then, the Messenger Angel brought (him) this Surah and he (S) gave them their answer.” [^1] Some other narrations denote that the Jew who asked this question was, Abdullah ibn Suriya, one of the known chiefs of the Jews.

Another narration says that 'Abdullah ibn Salam asked this question from the holy Prophet (S), in Mecca, and believed (in Islam). But, he kept his faith concealed. Another narration says that the pagans of Mecca asked such a question.[^2] In some narrations it is also said that the Christians of Najran asked the question.

There is no contradiction in these narrations because the question may have been asked by all of them, separately, which is, itself, an evidence to the extraordinary importance of this Surah, which answers the questions of different persons from various groups. The Virtue of Studying this Surah On the virtue of reciting this Surah, numerous narrations from the holy Prophet (S) and Ahlul-Bait (as) are cited in Islamic sources which refer to the extraordinary greatness of the Surah.

The author of Atyab-ul-Bayan Commentary, collected 25 of them.[^3] The holy Prophet (S) is narrated to have said in a tradition: "Is there anyone of you unable to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night"? One of his listeners asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Who is able to do that"? The Prophet (S) said: "Recite 'Say: He, Allah, if One! (Surah Ikhlas)”.

[^4] A tradition says that the recitation of this Surah, when arriving at a home, causes the increase of sustenance and removing poverty from the people therein.