Al-Ikhlas (The Purity)

Surah Al-Ikhlāṣ (Chapter 112)

📖 In Arabic:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

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📘 Translation (Sahih International):

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

1. Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,

2. Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

3. He neither begets nor is born,

4. Nor is there to Him any equivalent."

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🔍 Surah Overview:

🔹 Name Meaning:

• "Al-Ikhlāṣ" means sincerity or purity — this surah purifies belief in God by describing Him with absolute clarity and rejecting all forms of polytheism.

🔹 Revelation Context:

• Revealed in Mecca, in response to people asking:

  “Tell us about the lineage of your Lord.”

• It affirms pure monotheism (Tawḥīd) and is one of the most important chapters in the Qur'an.

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🧠 Verse-by-Verse Explanation:

1. قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ

Say: He is Allah, the One.

• "Aḥad" means uniquely one — not just numerically, but indivisibly One.

• There is nothing like Him — He is the only one deserving of worship.

2. ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

• "Aṣ-Ṣamad" has deep meanings:

  • The One everyone turns to for help, but who needs none.

  • Absolute, self-sufficient, unchanging.

  • The Master who provides, protects, and sustains all.

3. لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ

He neither begets nor is born.

• Rejects all ideas of God having a child or being born.

• A direct response to Christian, pagan, and mythological beliefs.

• Allah is eternal — without beginning or end.

4. وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

And there is none comparable to Him.

• No one and nothing is equal, similar, or even comparable to Allah.

• He is absolutely unique in His essence and attributes.

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🌟 Key Themes:

Concept	Message
Tawḥīd (Oneness)	Allah is One in His being, names, and attributes
Self-sufficiency	Allah needs no one; all creation depends on Him
Eternal nature	Allah is timeless — neither born nor giving birth
Uniqueness	No partner, peer, or rival exists to Him

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📚 Hadith About Surah Al-Ikhlāṣ:

✅ Equal to One-Third of the Qur’an:

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, it is equal to one-third of the Qur’an.”
— (Sahih Bukhari)

✅ Regularly Recited by the Prophet:

He would often recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas before sleeping and for protection.

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🧭 Lessons for Today:

• Affirms pure belief in God — free of confusion or association.

• Refutes all forms of shirk (idolatry) — a clear statement of Islam’s uniqueness.

• A powerful tool in worship — short but deeply meaningful.

• Encourages sincerity and reflection in one’s relationship with Allah.

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🕋 Summary Chart:

Verse	Focus	Meaning
1	Oneness of God	Allah is uniquely One — unlike anything or anyone
2	His self-sufficiency	Allah is the ultimate refuge, needs nothing
3	Rejection of human attributes	He was not born, nor does He give birth
4	Absolute uniqueness	Nothing is equal or comparable to Him