Surah Al-Ikhlas
الإخلاص
Sincerity — 4 verses, revealed in Makkah. Read it in Arabic with transliteration and meaning, then learn its background, virtues and tajweed.
Surah Al-Ikhlas is surah number 112 of the Quran, meaning “Sincerity”. It has 4 verses and was revealed in Makkah. Al-Ikhlas describes Allah in four short verses: One, depended on by all, with no parent or child, and nothing like Him.
Surah Al-Ikhlas with transliteration & meaning
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
- 1
قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ۚ ۱
Qul huwallahu ahad.
Say: He is Allah, the One.
- 2
اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ۚ ۲
Allahus-samad.
Allah, the Eternal, on whom all depend.
- 3
لَمْ یَلِدْ ۙ۬ وَلَمْ یُوْلَدْ ۙ ۳
Lam yalid wa lam yulad.
He has no child, and He was not born.
- 4
وَلَمْ یَكُنْ لَّهٗ كُفُوًا اَحَدٌ ۴
Wa lam yakul-lahu kufuwan ahad.
And there is none like Him.
Background: when and why it was revealed
Revealed in Makkah. Al-Ikhlas describes Allah in four short verses: One, depended on by all, with no parent or child, and nothing like Him.
Al-Ikhlas is the clearest statement of Tawheed — the Oneness of Allah. A man kept reciting it again and again, and the Prophet ﷺ said it is equal to a third of the Quran (Sahih al-Bukhari 5013).
Virtues
- It is equal to a third of the Quran. (Sahih al-Bukhari 5013)
- The Prophet ﷺ recited it with Al-Falaq and An-Nas before sleeping. (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017)
- It is recited in the Sunnah of Fajr. (Sahih Muslim 726)
Tajweed tip
- When you stop at the end of each verse, bounce the د in “ahad”, “samad”, “yalid” and “yulad” — this is qalqalah.
When to recite it
- Before sleeping (with Al-Falaq and An-Nas)
- In the Sunnah of Fajr
- In Salah
What we learn from Surah Al-Ikhlas
Allah is One
There is no god except Allah.
Nothing is like Allah
Allah is not like anything we can imagine.
Sincerity
Worship Allah purely, only for Him.
Frequently asked questions
How many verses are in Surah Al-Ikhlas?
Surah Al-Ikhlas has 4 verses.
What does Surah Al-Ikhlas mean?
Surah Al-Ikhlas means “Sincerity”. Al-Ikhlas describes Allah in four short verses: One, depended on by all, with no parent or child, and nothing like Him.
Was Surah Al-Ikhlas revealed in Makkah or Madinah?
It was revealed in Makkah.
When should I recite Surah Al-Ikhlas?
Before sleeping (with Al-Falaq and An-Nas), In the Sunnah of Fajr, In Salah.
References & sources
Quran references link to Quran.com and hadith references to Sunnah.com, so you can check every source. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us and we will correct it.
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