When to Recite Surah al-Mulk for Grave Protection?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Will One Attain the Virtue of Reciting Surah al-Mulk if it is Recited After Maghrib Salah
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: If one recites Surah al-Mulk after Maghrib salah or before ‘Isha salah, will they receive the same virtues as when it is recited after ‘Isha salah, i.e., which is protection from the torment of the grave?
Answer
The narrations regarding recitation of Surah al-Mulk protecting the reciter from the torment of the grave mention reciting it at night, and according to sharī’aĥ, night begins at sunset and remains until subh sadiq (true dawn). Therefore, if one recites Surah al-Mulk after Maghrib salah, before ‘Isha salah, or in any part of the night, he will receive this virtue. It is better to recite it just before sleeping, as it is stated in one narration that the Noble Prophet ﷺ would recite Surah al-Mulk just before sleeping, and it has been mentioned that this indicates that he would recite it just a few moments before sleeping.
It is narrated in Sunan al-Kubra’ Lil-Nasai’:
عن عبد الله بن مسعود، قال: من قرأ﴿تبارك الذي بيده الملك﴾ كل ليلة منعه اللہ بها من عذاب القبر، وكنا في عهد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہ وسلم نسميها المانعة، وإنها في كتاب اللہ سورة من قرأ بها في كل ليلة فقد أكثر وأطاب
Translation: It is narrated that Abdullah Bin Mas’ood رضي اللہ تعالى عنه stated: Whoever recites
تبارك الذي بيده الملك
every night, Allah will protect him from the torment of the grave. At the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we would call it al-Mani’ah (the protector). This is such a Surah from the Qur’an that the one who recites it every night, he has greatly multiplied and attained goodness. (Sunan al-Kubra’ Lil-Bayhaqi, Vol. 09, p. 262, Publ. Mu’assisah al-Risalah, Beirut)
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood رضي اللہ تعالى عنه states:
يؤتى الرجل في قبره فتؤتى رجلاه فتقول رجلاه : ليس لكم على ما قبلي سبيل انہ كان يقرأ سورة الملك ثم يؤتى من قبل صدره أو قال بطنه فيقول : ليس لكم على ما قبلي سبيل كان يقرأ سورة الملك ثم يؤتى من قبل رأسه فيقول: ليس لكم على ما قبلي سبيل انہ كان يقرأ سورة الملك. فهي المانعة تمنع من عذاب القبر و هي في التوراة سورة الملك من قرأها في ليلة فقد أكثر و أطیب
Translation: When a person goes into his grave, the torment approaches him from his feet. His feet will say: There is no pathway for you from my direction because he would recite Surah al-Mulk. Then, it comes from the direction of his chest; (or the narrator said) of his stomach. It will say: There is no pathway for you from my direction because he would recite Surah al-Mulk. Then it comes from the direction of his head. It will say: There is no pathway for you from my direction because he would recite Surah al-Mulk. Hence, it is a protector that protects from the punishment of the grave. In the Torah, it is named ‘Surah al-Mulk’. Whoever recites it at night, he has multiplied and attained goodness. (Al-Jami’ Li-Shua’b al-‘Iman, pt. 4, p. 125, Hadith no. 2279, Publ. Riyadh)
This virtue will be attained by reciting the Surah at any time during the night after sunset. Thus, it is stated in al-Wazeefah al-Kareemah regarding the litanies to recite during the night:
شب میں (یعنی غروب شمس سے طلوع صبح تک جس وقت ہو) (1) سورہ ملک: عذا ب قبر سے نجات۔
Translation: At night (i.e., any time from sunset to dawn) 1. Surah al-Mulk: It protects from the torment of the grave. (Al-Wazeefah al-Kareemah, p. 27, Publ. Maktabah-Tul-Madinah, Karachi)
Mentioning the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, it is narrated in Sunan al-Tirmizi:
عن جابر : أن النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم كان لا ينام حتى يقرأ ﴿الم تنزيل﴾، و ﴿تبارك الذي بيده الملك﴾
Translation: It is narrated from Jabir رضي اللہ تعالى عنه that the Noble Rasool ﷺ would not sleep until he recited (الم تنزيل) and (تبارك الذي بيده الملك). (Sunan al-Tirmizi, Vol. 05, p. 17, Hadith no. 2892, Publ. Dar al-Gharb al-‘Islami, Beirut)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: HAB-0661
Date: 28th Rabi’ al-Sani 1447 AH/ 22nd October 2025