Abū Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A sūra in the Qur’ān containing thirty verses interceded for a man till his sins were forgiven. It was ‘Blessed is He in whose hand is the kingdom.'” (Qur’ān, 67) Ahmad, Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, Nasā’i and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.
The Excellence of Sūrat al-Mulk
This noble ḥadīth, transmitted through multiple authoritative chains and recorded in Mishkat al-Masabih as ḥadīth number 2153, extols the immense virtue of Sūrat al-Mulk (Chapter 67). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly identified it as the specific sūrah of thirty verses that will intercede for its reciter on the Day of Judgment.
The Nature of the Intercession (Shafā'ah)
The intercession mentioned is of a specific type granted by Allah to certain acts of worship. It is not that the recited words themselves possess power, but that Allah, out of His infinite mercy, honors the consistent recitation and reflection upon this sūrah by granting it the status of an intercessor. This intercession will result in the forgiveness of the reciter's sins, a monumental blessing that saves one from the punishment of the Hereafter.
Scholarly Commentary on the Mechanism
The scholars explain that this sūrah serves as a profound reminder of Allah's absolute sovereignty (al-Mulk), His perfect power, and the meticulous creation of the universe. By reciting it with presence of heart and contemplating its meanings—which speak of life, death, and ultimate accountability—a believer's faith (īmān) is strengthened, their heart is softened, and they are deterred from disobedience. This spiritual state, cultivated by the sūrah, is what ultimately leads to the forgiveness of sins.
Imam al-Suyūṭī and others have emphasized that the intended practice is to recite this sūrah regularly, preferably every night, as mentioned in other narrations. The intercession is thus linked to a sustained relationship with the Qur'ān, not a one-time recitation.
A Call to Action and Reflection
This ḥadīth, from the book The Excellent Qualities of the Qur'ān within Mishkat al-Masabih, is a divine invitation to connect deeply with Sūrat al-Mulk. It encourages the believer to not only memorize its words but to internalize its message of Tawḥīd (God's Oneness) and the reality of the Hereafter. Making it a part of one's nightly routine is a means of securing this unparalleled intercession and attaining divine pardon.