Surah Al-Waqiah Every Night — The Companion Who Refused a Stipend Because of It

There is a surah in the Quran that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (RA) — one of the greatest Quranic scholars among the companions — commanded his daughters to recite every single night. And when the Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (RA) visited him on his deathbed and offered to provide a stipend for his daughters after his death, Ibn Mas'ud refused.

Uthman asked: "Are you not worried about poverty for your daughters after you are gone?"

Ibn Mas'ud replied: "No. I have commanded them to recite Surah Al-Waqiah every night. For I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: 'Whoever recites Surah Al-Waqiah every night, poverty will never afflict him.'" — (Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-Iman)

The man who narrated this hadith trusted it enough to stake his daughters' financial security on it. That, in itself, is something worth reflecting on.

A Note on the Hadith

Scholars of hadith — including Sheikh Al-Albani and others — have graded this narration as weak (da'if) in its chain. This does not mean it should be disregarded: in Islamic scholarship, weak hadiths may be acted upon for virtuous deeds (fadail al-a'mal), especially when there is no contradiction with stronger texts. And crucially, the Quran itself makes clear in multiple verses that Allah is Al-Razzaq (The Provider), that gratitude brings increase (14:7), and that the righteous will be provided for. Acting on this surah nightly is grounded in the practice of a major companion even if the specific wording of the hadith carries some debate. Imam Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir both mentioned this narration in their tafasir. And Ibn Mas'ud's own example — commanding his daughters to recite it — carries the weight of companion practice.

What Is Surah Al-Waqiah?

Surah Al-Waqiah is the 56th chapter of the Quran. Its name means "The Event" or "The Inevitable" — referring to the Day of Judgment. It contains 96 verses and is one of the Makkan surahs, revealed in the early period of Islam.

It is also one of the surahs that the Prophet ﷺ described as having profoundly affected him. When Abu Bakr (RA) asked why his hair had turned grey, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Surah Hud and its sisters have made me old." The scholars identify Surah Al-Waqiah as among these "sisters" — surahs whose descriptions of the Day of Judgment, accountability, and the separation of humanity were so weighty that they left a physical mark on the most perfect of creation. A surah powerful enough to grey the Prophet's hair is a surah worth sitting with.

Why Is This Surah Connected to Rizq?

The scholars explain the connection in a way that makes deep sense. Surah Al-Waqiah contains these profound verses:

And about food: "Have you seen what you sow? Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?" (56:63-64). Every necessity of life — water, food, sustenance — comes directly from Allah. Reading this surah nightly is a constant reminder of this truth. And when you deeply believe that Allah is the Provider, your relationship with provision changes. Fear decreases. Gratitude increases. And gratitude, as Allah promises, leads to increase (14:7).

The scholars say the true protection from poverty that this surah offers is through transformation of the heart: it cures the attachment to dunya, fills the heart with certainty in the akhirah, and produces a believer whose reliance is entirely on Al-Razzaq. A person with such a heart can never be truly poor — because their richness is in their faith. And a person who trusts Allah as Provider is far more likely to act in ways that bring barakah to their sustenance.

The Three Groups on the Day of Judgment

Understanding the surah makes reciting it more meaningful. It describes three groups:

The Forerunners (As-Sabiqun)

These are the closest to Allah — the best of the believers in every generation. They will have the highest stations in Jannah. The surah describes their reward in extraordinary detail: gardens, flowing rivers, fruits of every kind, and — most importantly — peace and closeness to Allah.

The Companions of the Right (Ashab ul-Yameen)

These are the main body of believers who will receive their records in their right hands — a sign of success on that Day. Their reward is also beautiful, though distinct from the Forerunners. The surah includes an extraordinary description: "And shade extended." (56:30) — the shade of Jannah stretching without end.

The Companions of the Left (Ashab ul-Shimaal)

These are those who rejected faith and lived in heedlessness. The surah describes their regret and punishment in vivid terms — not to frighten without purpose, but to motivate change while there is still time.

How to Make This a Nightly Habit

The practice is simple: recite Surah Al-Waqiah once every night before sleeping. You can read it in Arabic from the Quran or from your phone. As you build familiarity with it, try reading with a translation open so the meaning settles in your heart alongside the words.

Not because of a weak hadith alone — but because you are following the practice of Ibn Mas'ud (RA), a man who trusted this surah enough to leave his daughters in its care rather than a caliph's stipend. And because you are engaging with a surah powerful enough to age the Prophet ﷺ, whose message about provision and the akhirah can genuinely transform how you relate to money, fear, and trust in Allah.

Start tonight. Before you put your phone down. Before you close your eyes. Read it once — just once — and let its words do what they have been doing for believers for 1,400 years.