The benefits of Ayatul Kursi
There are many narrations that indicate the virtues of Ayatul Kursi. Besides being called the chief of the Qur’an and the greatest verse in the Qur’an, it is also a means of protection from harm, a daily protection prayer, a means of ruqya (spiritual protection from jinn, evil eye, and magic), and a means through which people enter paradise. The following narrations serve as evidence for these virtues.
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entrusted me to protect the charity of Ramadan. Someone came to me and began taking from the food. I took hold of him, and I said, “I will certainly take you to the Messenger of Allah!” Abu Huraira told the story to the Prophet, saying, “The man told me that when I go to bed, I should recite the Verse of the Throne. Allah will appoint a protector over me, and no devil will come near me until morning.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “He told you the truth, although he is a liar. That was Satan.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5010)
In the above narration, we learn that Ayatul Kursi is a protection prayer that keeps people safe from evening to morning, and vice versa. It is therefore recommended to recite it early each morning, usually after Fajr, and in the early evening, after Asr or Maghrib prayers. In this narration, Abu Huraira catches a devil trying to steal from the treasury. The devil teaches him this prayer in exchange for his freedom. In any other case, something that the devil teaches would be considered suspicious, but here the Prophet ﷺ confirms that he spoke the truth, despite being a liar. So we act on this hadith, not because of what the devil said, but because the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that this specific statement is true.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whenever it is recited in a home, the devil flees therefrom; that verse is: Ayatul Kursi.” (al-Targhib, vol.2, p. 370)
It is also narrated that the devils flee from homes in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited. (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 780) As Ayatul Kursi is the most important verse in Surah al-Baqarah, it suffices to chase away the devils in many cases. This makes Surah al-Baqarah, and specifically Ayatul Kursi, an important ruqya. Ruqya refers to anything that is recited to ward off devils, magic, and evil eye. If someone feels the presence of devils or magic in their homes, it is advisable to recite Ayatul Kursi frequently to ward off the evil presence. If this does not work, then try reciting the entire Surah al-Baqarah for a stronger ruqya.
