Tafseer: Surah Yaseen
VIRTUES OF SURA YASEEN
Sura Yaseen is known to be a very virtuous Sura which contains many merits. From among these, is the narration of Abu Hurairah (R.A) in which he said that the Prophet ﷺ said,
لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَلْبٌ وَقَلْبُ الْقُرْآنِ يس
‘For everything there is a heart, and the heart of the Quran is Yaseen.’ (Bazzar, Hadith No.7282, Pg.479, Vol.13, Maktaba Uloom wal Hakam. Similar narrations in Tirmizi, Hadith No.2887,Pg.852, Darussalam / Baihaqi in Shuabul Iman, Hadith No.2239, Pg.98, Vol.4, Maktaba Rushd / Darami, Hadith No.3416, Pg.548, Vol.2,Qademi)
In another tradition of Abu Hurairah (R.A), he narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said,
مَنْ قَرَأَ يس فِي لَيْلَةٍ أَصْبَحَ مَغْفُورًا لَهُ
‘Whoever recites Yaseen in the night, he will rise in the morning as one forgiven by Allah.’
{الحسن, عن أبى هريرة مسند أبى يعلى, / حلية الاولياء وطبقات الأصفياء, الحارث بن سويد و من هم الحارث بن سويد}
Jundub bin Abdullah (R.A) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said,
مَنْ قَرَأَ يس فِي لَيْلَةٍ ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ غُفِرَ لَهُ
‘Whoever recites SuraYaseen at night seeking the pleasure of Allah, he shall be forgiven by Allah.’ (Ibn Hibban in his Saheeh, Hadith No.2574, Pg.312, Vol.6, Al Resalah Al Alimiah / Similar narrations in Darami, Hadith No.3415, Pg.548, Vol.2 Qademi)
Maqal bin Yasar (R.A) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said,
الْبَقَرَةُ سَنَامُ الْقُرْآنِ وَذُرْوَتُهُ، نَزَلَ مَعَ كُلِّ آيَةٍ مِنْهَا ثَمَانُونَ مَلَكًا، وَاسْتُخْرِجَتْ {اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ} [البقرة: 255] مِنْ تَحْتِ الْعَرْشِ، فَوُصِلَتْ بِهَا، أَوْ فَوُصِلَتْ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ، وَيس قَلْبُ الْقُرْآنِ،
لَا يَقْرَؤُهَا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ اللهَ والدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُ، وَاقْرَءُوهَا عَلَى مَوْتَاكُمْ
‘Sura Al Baqara is the highest point and peak of the Quran, and eighty angels were sent with each verse of it. Allahu Laa ilaha Illa Huwal Hayyul Qayyum (Ayatul Kursi) were taken from beneath the Arsh (Throne) and attached with it (that is, with Sura Al Baqara). SuraYaseen is the heart of the Quran. No one recites it seeking the pleasure of Allah and intending the hereafter, except that he is forgiven by Allah. Recite it upon your dying people.’ (Ahmad, Hadith No.20322, Vol.7, Pg.286, Darul Fikr)
Based upon the above narrations, some scholars have stated, ‘from the specialty of this Sura (Yaseen) is that it is not read at the time of any difficult task except that Allah makes it easy. Its recitation upon a dying person is for the sake of achieving mercy and blessings of Allah, and to cause the easy removal of the soul. And Allah knows best.’ Imam Ahmad has narrated that the great scholars used to say, ‘When SuraYaseen is recited close to the dying person, Allah lightens the difficulties (of death) for him.’ (Tafseer Ibn Katheer vol.5 pg. 271 Dar Al Kitab Al Arabiya Beirut 2013)
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abass (R.A) that the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I desire that Sura Yaseen be in the heart of every person of my Ummah.’ (تفسير ابن كثير, سورة يسن)