Quran is the book revealed by the master and lord of the universe for the welfare and guidance of the humankind. And without doubt, it has all the inner and physical advantages for human life, and it leads us to become the most ranked and excellent persons in the society. Because, there is a hadith of the prophet of Allah (SAW) indicating the same idea. The prophet of Allah (SAW) said that the best among you is one who learns the Quran, and teaches it to other people . So, therefore, every Muslims is supposed to learn the Quran, to know its meaning and commentary, and then try to convey it to others.
According to the thoughts and topics in the Quran, some Quranic verses and Surahs are high ranked than others, and not because there is a difference in the speeches of Allah (SWT). According to some hadiths of the prophet of Allah (SAW), Aya Al- Kursiy (or Ayatul Kursiy) is the verse of Quran which is called the master and the chief verse of the Quran. Since, the prophet of Allah (SAW) says: there is an Aya in Surah Al- Baqarah which is the chief of the verses of the Quran, and that is the Aya Al- Kursiy . Also, in another hadith, Hazrat Abu Zar (RA) asks the prophet of Allah (SWT) about the most high-ranked verse of the Quran, and the prophet (SAW) replies with the Aya Al- Kursiy . And as mentioned above, this is not because this verse has difference than the other verses of the Quran, but rather, its topic is so righteous and high ranked.
What is Ayatul Kursi?
In Arabic language, Aya means verse and Kursiy means chair. Aya Al- Kursiy is the 255th verse of the second chapter of the Quran called Surah Al- Baqarah. Because, the word chair (or Kursiy (کرسی) in Arabic) is mentioned in this verse, therefore, it is now called Ayatul Kursiy which means the verse of chair. Following is the complete Aya Al- Kursiy with Arabic words:
اَللهُ لَا اِلهَ اِلَا هُوَ الحَيُ القَیُوم، لَا تَأخُذُهُ سِنَةْ وَلَا نَوْم، لَهُ مَا فِی السَمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِی الْاَرْضِ، مَنْ ذَا الَذِی یَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ اِلَا بِأِذْنِه، یَعْلَمُ مَا بَیْنَ اَیْدِیْهِم وَ مَا خَلْفَهُم، وَلَا یُحِیْطُونَ بِشَیءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِه اِلَا بِمَا شَاءَ، وَسِعَ کُرْسِیُهُ السَمَاوَاتِ وَالاَرْضَ، وَلَا یَؤُدُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُ الْعَظِیْم.
Translation of Ayatul Kursiy
Allah is the one without whom, there is no true god but he, the alive and All-sustaining. Neither dozing nor sleeping takes him. For him is all in the heavens and on earth. Who can intercede (about someone) to him but with his permission. He knows what is before (apparent) to them (the human beings) and what is behind (concealed) them. And they can’t encompass (understand anything of) his knowledge except (something) that he wills. His Kursiy (chair) extends to the heavens and earth, and their protection doesn’t exhaust him, and he is the glorious and most supreme.
As you can notice, this verse encompasses the best explanation of Allah (SWT). There are 12 attributes of Allah (SWT) either by his name or a pronoun reflecting back to him in this verse. Also, this verse contains three adjectives that best describe Allah’s glory self. Furthermore, if we ponder in this verse, it explains other specifications of almighty Allah that can’t be considered in any of his creatures. Weather it is his sustainability or power, his distinctness or smartness, his needless and self-sufficiency or his knowledge, all these are the criteria that can’t be considered for any of his slaves to own.
At the end of this verse, Allah (SWT) says that he has a chair that extends over the seven heavens and earth. And according to Islamic texts, this chair is on the throne in the seventh heaven. But it must be kept in mind that Allah (SWT) doesn’t need any chair to sit on, or to use it for any of the purposes we human beings use. Rather than it, the chair and throne are to show his strength, power and glory. As the prophet of Allah (SWT) says that in contrast to the chair, the seven heavens and earth are as small as a ring in a big desert, and in contrast to the throne, the chair is as smaller as a ring in a desert .
Rewards of Reciting Surah Al- Baqarah
Reciting Ayatul Kursiy leads to Jannah: The prophet of Allah (SAW) said that if someone recites Ayatul Kursiy after every Salah, nothing will resist him from entering to Jannah except death . It means one who recites this verse after every prayer, he will directly enter to Jannah after dying.
It protects us from harms (of the problems of daily life and Satan): Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) reports that the prophet of Allah (SAW) said: one who recites Ayatul Kursiy and the first three verses of Surah Al- Mo’min in the morning, he/she will be protected until the night, and one who recites them in the night, he/she will be protected until the morning . Furthermore, there is another hadith that shows that reciting Ayatul Kursiy protects from the harms Satan and Jins.