Surah al-Waqi‘ah Every Night and the Claim of Being Protected from Poverty

Short answer

This narration of Ibn Mas‘ud RA is severely weak. Its chain contains discrepancies in the names of narrators, the problem of an unidentified narrator, and a break in transmission. According to Ibn Hajar’s tarjih, at least two intermediaries are missing, making it mu‘dal. The promise of being protected from poverty cannot be established from this narration.

Translation

“Whoever recites Surah al-Waqi‘ah every night, poverty will never afflict him.” Ibn Mas‘ud said: “I instructed my daughters to recite it every night.”

Narrator

Abdullah bin Mas‘ud RA

Sources and scholars

Ahmad bin Hanbal; al-Daraqutni; Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani; al-Zayla‘i; Wasi Allah Abbas

Scholarly commentary

1. Ahmad bin Hanbal judged this narration to be munkar, as cited in al-Muntakhab min Ilal al-Khallal.

2. Ibn Hajar, in Nata’ij al-Afkar, 3/263–264, preferred Abu Shuja‘ and Abu Taybah amid the differing names in the chain. He stated that Abu Taybah did not meet Ibn Mas‘ud and that at least two intermediaries are missing; the chain is mu‘dal.

3. al-Zayla‘i, in Takhrij Ahadith al-Kashshaf, 3/413, gathered the issues of interruption, narrator weakness, idhtirab, and the judgment of munkar regarding this narration.

4. Wasi Allah Abbas, in his critical edition of Fada’il al-Sahabah, 2/726, discussed the differences between Shuja‘ or Abu Shuja‘, as well as Abu Taybah, Abu Zabyah, or Abu Fatimah, and the problem of identifying the narrator.

Explanation

1. Where is this narration found?

Among its sources are Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah by Ibn al-Sunni no. 680 and Shu‘ab al-Iman by al-Bayhaqi. The numbering and wording differ according to the manuscripts.

2. What does idhtirab mean in this chain?

The narrations differ in naming the teacher of al-Sari bin Yahya as Shuja‘ or Abu Shuja‘. The narrator after him is variously named Abu Taybah, Abu Zabyah, or Abu Fatimah. These differences create difficulty in identifying the chain precisely. They must be discussed together with the tarjih of the scholars, rather than assuming that every spelling difference is automatically idhtirab of the same severity.

3. Why was “severely weak” selected?

According to Ibn Hajar’s tarjih, Abu Taybah did not meet Ibn Mas‘ud and there are at least two intermediaries who are not mentioned. This is the problem of mu‘dal, in addition to other criticisms of that route.

4. Does “faqah” mean starvation only?

It is more accurately translated as poverty or destitution. This wording is not necessarily limited to starvation.

5. Can Surah al-Waqi‘ah still be recited?

Yes. Even so, reciting this surah remains part of the good recitation of the Quran, but that specific virtue cannot be affirmed from the weak narration.

Conclusion

Status: Severely weak. Recite Surah al-Waqi‘ah as Quran; do not affirm the promise of being protected from poverty based on this narration.