Important Surahs and Ayahs
While every word and letter in the miraculous Quran is a blessing, in your study of the Quran, you may come across surahs and ayahs that seem to stand out in their reward and power. Here are some of those surahs and ayahs.
(This list is in chronological order.)
Surah 1 – Al-Fatiha
This chapter is recited in every rakat of every salah and in the Tafsir, you will learn that this surah is a conversation between a you and Allah.
Source: Sahih Muslim 395 (authentic).
Surah 2 and 3 – Al-Baqarah and Ali-Imran
The Prophet (SAW) said, "Read the two lights; Al-Baqarah and Ali-Imran, for they will come on the day of Resurrection like two clouds or two shades or two flocks of birds arguing in favour of their companions…”
Source: Sahih Muslim 804 (authentic).
Surah 2 – ayah 255 (also called Ayatul Kursi – 'Verse of the Throne')
Reciting this ayah after every Salah is a path to Jannah. The Prophet (SAW) said: "Whoever recites the verse of the throne after every prescribed (obligatory) prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and Paradise but his death."
Source: al-Mu'jam al-Awsat lil-Tabarani 8068 (authentic).
Surah 2 – Ayahs 285 and 286 (the last two ayahs)
Hadiths from Sunan an-Nasa'i (classed as Sahih by Darussalam) and Sunan Abi Dawud 1397 (classed as Sahih by al-Albani) have stated that the Prophet (SAW) said that whoever memorises the last verses of Surah Al-Baqara will recieve great forgiveness from Allah and that the verses will be, "Sufficient for him."
Surah 18 – Al-Kahf
Muslims are encouraged to recite this surah every Friday as it contains 4 stories with important lessons.
A Hadith states that, "Whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on the night of Jum'ah (Friday), will have a light that will extend between him and the Ancient House (the Ka'bah)." Source: al-Darimi 3407 (authentic).
Another Hadith states: "Whoever reads Surah Al-Kahf on the day of Juma'ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next." (Source: al-Hakim 2/399; al-Bayhaqi 3/249 (authentic).)
One authentic Hadith states that whoever memorises the first 10 verses of Surah Al-Kahf and anotehr authentic Hadith states that whoever memories the last 10 verses of Surah Al-Kahf "will be immune to the False Messiah (Dajjal/anti-Christ)." (Source: Sahih Muslim 809 (authentic).)
Surah 59 – Surah Al-Hashr
For those who recite “A-‘udhu billahis Sami’ll ‘Alim minash shaytanir Rajim” (“I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Knowing, from the accursed Shaytan”) three times, then recite the final three verses of Surah Al-Hashr in the morning, Allah will appoint 70,000 angles to pray for their divine mercy from the morning to the evening. If you die on a day where you have done this, you die with the status of a martyr.
(Another Hadith corroborates this and goes further to state that those who recite the aforementioned in the evening, Allah will appoint 70,000 angles to pray for them from the evening until the following morning, with the same reward.)
Source: Tirmidhi (weak).
Surah 67 – Al-Mulk
The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said, "There is a Surah of the Quran, with thirty verses, that interceded for a man until he was forgiven; it is Surah 'Tabaarakal lazee biyadihil mulk.'" ('Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion' - this is the first verse of Surah Al-Mulk). Source: Abu Dawood (1400); al-Tirmidhi (2891) (good).
Surah 112 – Al-Ikhlas
Swearing by Allah, the Prophet said, "By the One in whose hand is my soul, (Surah Al-Ikhlas) is equal to a third of the Quran."
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5013 (authentic).
Surah 113, and 114 – Al-Falaq and An-Nas
Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas are very powerful and together they are called 'Al mu'awwidhatayn' - 'the verses of refuge.'
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: "After (Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas) were revealed, the Prophet (SAW) took to them for seeking Allah's protection (against the evil of jinn and the evil eyes)..."
Source: Riyad As Salihin - [at-Tirmidhi], book 9, hadith 1015.