I say, and from Allah comes guidance:
Firstly, several hadiths mention the virtues of Surah Yasin, some of which are considered authentic by some narrators, while others are weak. Perhaps the weaker narrations are strengthened by what is mentioned in the stronger ones. Among these narrations is the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “The heart of the Quran is Surah Yasin. Whoever recites it seeking Allah’s pleasure and the hereafter, Allah will forgive him. Recite it over your dying ones.” [Narrated by Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, Al-Hakim, and authenticated by him].
– One of these narrations is the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him), if it is authentic: “Whoever recites Surah Yasin, Allah writes for him the reward of reciting the Quran ten times.” This was reported by At-Tirmidhi, who said: “This is a strange hadith.” (A strange hadith is one that is narrated by only one person, and this is a description of the narration, not a judgement on the hadith, and it is equivalent to ‘rare’ or ‘uncommon’.)
– Another narration regarding the virtues of Surah Yasin is reported by Ad-Darimi, Abu Ya’la, At-Tabarani, Ibn Mardawaih, Al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman, Ibn Hibban, and Ibn As-Sunni, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Surah Yasin at night seeking the pleasure of Allah, he will be forgiven for his sins that night.”
– Moreover, Ibn Abbas reported that “whoever recites Surah Yasin in the morning will be granted ease throughout their day until evening, and whoever recites it in the early part of the night will be granted ease throughout their night until morning.”
Secondly, Allah, glorified and exalted be He, has taught us supplications in His book, and likewise, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught us supplications, and they are the best words that a Muslim can mention to fulfill their needs. However, the Shariah does not prohibit supplication and seeking help through what has been mentioned and tested by the pious individuals. The origin of this is the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as reported by Ahmad, that he supplicated saying: “O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand (i.e. You have total mastery over me), Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my chest, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety.” This supplication includes asking Allah by four things:
1- What He has named Himself.
2- What He has revealed in His book.
3- What He has taught any of His creations, including prophets and righteous individuals.
4- To invoke Him with all the names that are unknown to us.
Rather, the Shariah does not prohibit supplicating with what each one of us has experienced and found a response to, as it has been reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Let each one of you choose from the supplications that which he likes, and then let him supplicate to Allah with it.” This hadith was reported by Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa’i. So the word “let him choose” indicates the act of supplication.
Therefore, supplicating with what has not been mentioned in the Sunnah is permissible, based on the general wording of supplication and the general wording of seeking means, provided that it does not involve anything prohibited or forbidden.
Thirdly, as for the specific practice of reciting Surah Yasin a certain number of times, this is not something that has been mentioned in the Sunnah. Rather, it is a practice that some people do in order to obtain benefit or ward off harm. The matter can be detailed as follows:
As for reciting Surah Yasin and repeating or reciting specific verses like “And We have placed before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see” (YA-SIN, 36:9) or “Peace, a word from a Merciful Lord” (YA-SIN, 36:58), we have heard and learned this from some scholars, and we have personally experienced its benefits. It is a practice that has found acceptance and does not contradict any Islamic principle. It is part of the general practice of reciting Quran and seeking blessings through good deeds. However, it is important that the person who does this does not believe that it is a necessary or Sunnah act, or that the desired outcome is guaranteed. This is all part of the practice of seeking means and supplication, and the results are ultimately in the hands of Allah, who may grant or withhold them as He wills.
Fourthly, as for people creating specific arrangements and readings to be recited before and after Surah Yasin and considering it as a form of worship, this is an innovation (bid’ah) that has been introduced into the religion. And Allah knows best.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr