Question
Do we have to recite Surah Mulk after magrib or after isha for protection against tortures of the grave?
Answer
The virtues which have been mentioned are given general in the hadith. For example Abu Hurairah (R.A) narrates that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘Certainly there is a Sura in the Holy Quran which is of thirty verses. It interceded for a person until it took him out from the fire of Hell on the Day of Judgement and entered him in Paradise, and this sura is sura Tabarak (Sura Mulk)’. (Abu Dawood, Tirmizi, Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah, Ahmad. Hakim has recorded it and has stated that it is Saheeh, Imam Tirmizi says it is Hasan (good)).
In another hadith narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A), the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘I wish that Tabarakalazi bi yadihil Mulk (Sura Mulk) should be in the heart of every believer’. (Hakim, Tabrani).
Other narrations have also been recorded which show that a fixed time has not been given. However, there is an authentic narration from the great companion, Abdullah bin Masood (R.A) who said, ‘Whoever recites Sura Mulk every night, then through it Allah will protect him from the punishment of the grave. During the time of the Prophet (S.A.S) we used to name it ‘the Sura that protects,’ and it is a Sura of the book of Allah. Whoever recites it every night, then he has done very good’. (Amalul Yawm Wal Laila – Imam Nasaa’i).
Based on this tradition, it shows that one will get the blessings/ benefits of reciting Sura Mulk anytime during the night whether it is after Magrib or after Isha.
There is however, another hadith narrated by Jabir (R.A) which states that the Prophet (S.A.S) did not go to sleep until he recited Alif Lam Mim Sajdah and Tabarakalazi biyadihil Mulk (Sura Mulk). (Tirmizi).
Based on this the scholars have stated that Sura Mulk be recited after the Isha Salaah.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan