Surah Al-Ikhlas (Chapter of Sincerity)

Surah Al-Ikhlas (Arabic: سورة الإخلاص), also called Surah Tawhid (The Chapter of Unity), is the 112th chapter of the Quran and consists of four short verses that declare Allah's absolute oneness (tawhid). It is one of the most recited surahs in prayer and is considered equivalent to one-third of the Quran in reward.

The surah's text reads: "Qul huwa Allahu ahad. Allahu al-samad. Lam yalid wa lam yulad. Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad." (Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "The one who recites Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad, it is as if he has recited one-third of the Quran" (narrated in both Shia and Sunni collections). Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) explained: "Surah Al-Ikhlas deals with Allah's attributes, and Allah's attributes constitute the most important third of the Quran's content" (Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha by Shaykh al-Saduq).

In Shia prayer practice, Surah Al-Ikhlas is often recited as the second surah after Al-Fatiha, especially in the daily nawafil (voluntary prayers). It is also recommended to recite it ten times after the Fajr prayer and ten times after the Isha prayer. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "The one who believes in Surah Al-Ikhlas and acts upon it has achieved tawhid (pure monotheism)" (Al-Kafi, vol. 2). Surah Al-Ikhlas is the core of Islamic monotheism and a fundamental expression of the believer's relationship with Allah.