Equal in Reward, Not a Replacement
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Then Ibn Taymiyyah addresses a misunderstanding that some people fall into.
If Surat al-Ikhlas equals a third of the Qur’an, can I simply recite it three times and consider that I have read the whole Qur’an? Do I no longer need to read the rest?
No, says Ibn Taymiyyah. The equality is in a certain kind of reward, not in every kind of benefit.
He gives an example. A person might give a small amount of charity with great sincerity, and receive a great reward. But that does not mean the poor person who received it got everything they needed.
In the same way, reciting ikhlas brings a reward equal to reciting a third of the Qur’an. But the rest of the Qur’an contains guidance, laws, stories, warnings, and comfort that a believer still needs. You cannot learn how to pray, or how to treat your parents, or the story of Moses, from ikhlas alone.
So recite it often, and enjoy its immense reward. But never let it become a reason to neglect the rest of Allah’s Book.
Every part of the Qur’an has its own gift to give.
