Being equivalent in merit does not make it a substitute

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The merit of Surah al-Ikhlaas is great. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إنها تعدل ثلث القرآن

“It is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’aan.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5051) and Saheeh Muslim (811)]

It is equivalent and not its substitute. (Recitation of) Surah al-Ikhlaas is equivalent to one-third of the Qur’aan, and it is not a substitute for the one-third of the Qur’aan.

The evidence for it is: if a person were to repeat its (recitation) three times in the obligatory prayer, it will (still) not remove from him the (obligation) of reciting Surah al-Faatihah. If a person were to recite it (Surah al-Ikhlaas) three times, (in merit) it would be like he has recited the whole Qur’aan, but still he will not be rewarded (like the one who has actually recited the whole Qur’aan). Don’t be amazed that a thing can be an equivalent to another (in merit) but not (equal) in the reward.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَنْ قَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ عَشْرَ مِرَارٍ كَانَ كَمَنْ أَعْتَقَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَنْفُسٍ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ

“He who says: ‘There is none worthy of being worshiped except Allaah, the One, having no partner with Him, His is the Sovereignty and all praise is due to Him and He is Potent over everything”, ten times, he is like one who emancipated four slaves from the progeny of Ismaa`eel.” [Saheeh Muslim (6510)]

Even then, if a person had to emancipate a slave as atonement (for his sin), and he says this Dhikr, it will still not absolve him from his atonement. So something being equivalent to another does not make it its substitute (and equal) in reward.**

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite this Surah in the second Rak`ah of the Sunnah prayer of Fajr [Saheeh Muslim], as well as in the Sunnah prayer of Maghrib [Sunan al-Tirmidhee], and in prayer after the Tawaaf [Saheeh Muslim], and he صلى الله عليه وسلم also used to recite it in the Witr [Sunan al-Tirmidhee] because this Surah is based upon complete Ikhlaas (sincerity) towards Allaah alone and that is why it is name Surah al-Ikhlaas.

[From Tafseer of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen of Juzz `Amma]

** Similarly the Hadeeth in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “(The performance of) `Umrah during Ramadhaan is equal to Hajj (pilgrimage).” Or said: “Equal to the performance of Hajj with me.” [Saheehain]

Performing `Umrah in Ramadhaan does not remove the obligation of Hajj from a person who has never performed Hajj before.

Or the Hadeeth in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Prayer performed in a congregation is equivalent to twenty-five (prayers) as compared with the prayer performed individually.” [Saheehain]

This Hadeeth does not absolve the person from performing the prayer for the next twenty-four times.

Also the Hadeeth of the merit of praying the Prophet’s Masjid and in Masjid al-Haraam etc.