“قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ۞ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ۞ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ۞ وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفّٰثَٰتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ۞ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ”
Say, I seek refuge with the Lord of daybreak against the harm in what He has created, the harm in the night when darkness gathers, the harm in witches who blow on knots, and the harm in the envier when he envies. [113]
To be recited 3 times
Brief Commentary
- This surah is included in the morning and evening supplications as the Prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said that reciting this surah along with surah Al-Ikhlas [112] and Al-Naas [114] three times every morning and evening will suffice a person for protection from everything [1]
- The Prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said about this surah and surah Al-Naas [114], “No one seeks refuge like the one who seeks it through these two surahs” [2]
- The Prophet (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) once said to a companion, “Have you seen the verses revealed tonight, those which no one has ever seen anything like them? Surah Al-Falaq [113], and Surah Al-Naas [114]” [3]
- Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said, “The need of a person for these two surahs is greater than their need for air, food, drink, and clothing [4]
- “Daybreak” is when darkness departs, and daylight overcomes. Hence, by reminding ourselves that Allah is the Lord of the daybreak, erasing darkness and replacing it with daylight, equally too He can erase the difficulties in our lives and bring instead a state of ease
- We seek refuge in Allah from “the harm in which He has created”, so we remind ourselves that this harm is within the creation of Allah, and therefore we feel at peace knowing that Allah is able to protect us from it as it is under His authority
- Nothing falls outside the creation of Allah, so we have sought refuge from all forms of evil
- The night is the time when shayateen spread and are more active, hence it is incumbent upon us to be careful and to seek refuge in Allah from “the harm in the night when darkness gathers”
- A lot of people complain from evil spirits and believe someone has cast a spell on them, but this surah gives protection from all of this as we seek refuge in Allah from those “who blow on knots”
- The last thing we seek refuge in Allah from in this surah is the evil eye or the envy of others as this is something that can have an adverse effect on us
- The reverse understanding of this is that a person shouldn’t be envious of others or wish evil for them
- We notice in this last verse Allah has stipulated that we seek refuge in Him from the envious person “when he envies” as a person may naturally possess the ability to give others the evil eye (ayn) but they do not do so by suppressing the envy they have so we do not seek refuge in Allah from them, but only from those who actually intend harm and/or envy
Benefits & Action Points
- When you say you seek refuge in Allah, think about the state of refugees around the world, they leave the worst behind them to seek refuge elsewhere as they believe this place will save them from their current state. This is how we should feel when we seek refuge in Allah, that we are doomed without this refuge and we really need it
- When we recited Surah Al-Ikhlas, we referred to Allah as “the self-Sufficient Master” whom we all depend on, and this surah teaches us how we depend on Allah
- In this surah, we seek refuge in Allah from external sources of harm, such as the shayateen and envy of others. We will see in Surah Al-Naas that within it we seek refuge in Allah from internal sources of harm, so these two surahs are a formidable form of protection when coupled together
- Ensure you do not envy others
- Always say this surah with complete conviction in the protection that Allah can give you so that you can benefit the most from it
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- Hadith, reported by Abu Dawud, hadith number 5082, Al-Tirmidhi, hadith number 3575, and Al-Nasaa’i, hadith number 5428
- Hadith, reported by Al-Nasaa’i, hadith number 5429
- Hadith, reported in Sahih Muslim, hadith number 814
- “Bada’i Al-Fawaid” 2/199 by Ibunl-Qayyim
Hadith Commentary 