The Tafsir of Al-Mu'awwidhatayn

Tafsir of Surah Al Falaq

Revealed in Medina

The Position of Ibn Mas’Ud concerning Al-Mu’awwidhatayn

Imam Ahmad recorded from Zirr bin Hubaysh that Ubayy bin Ka’b told him that Ibn Mas’ud did not record the Mu’awwidhatayn in his Mushaf (copy of the Qur’an). So Ubayy said, “I testify that the Messenger of Allah informed me that Jibril said to him,

Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.” (13:1) So he said it. And Jibril said to him,

Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.” (114:1) So he said it. Therefore, we say what the Prophet said.” ^[1]

The Virtues of Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded on the authority of ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do you not see that there have been Ayat revealed to me tonight the like of which has not been seen before?" They are Say: “I seek refuge with, the Lord of Al-Falaq.” (13:1) and; Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.” (114:1) ^[2]

This Hadith was recorded by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. At-Tirmidhi said, “Hasan Sahih.” ^[3]

Another Narration

Imam Ahmad recorded from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir that he said, “While I was leading the Messenger of Allah along one of these paths he said, "O ‘Uqbah! Will you not ride?"

I was afraid that this might be considered an act of disobedience. So the Messenger of Allah got down and I rode for a while. Then he rode. Then he said, "0 ‘Uqbah! Should I not teach you two Surahs that are of the best two Surahs that the people recite?" I said, ‘Of course, 0 Messenger of Allah.’ So he taught me to recite {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.”} (113:1) and {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind .“} (114:1)

Then the call was given to begin the prayer and the Messenger of Allah went forward (to lead the people), and he recited them in the prayer. Afterwards he passed by me and said, What do you think, 0 ‘Uqayb? ^[4] Recite these two Sarahs whenever you go to sleep and whenever you get up.^[5] An-Nasa'i and Abu Dawud both recorded this Hadith.^[6]

Another Narration

An-Nasa'i recorded from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir that the Messenger of Allah said, Verily, the people do not seek protection with anything like these two: {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.”} (113:1) and; {Say: “I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind.”} (114.1)^[7]

Another Narration

An-Nasa'i recorded that ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir said, “I was walking with the Messenger of Allah when he said, [0 'Uqbah! Say!] I replied, ‘What should I say?’ So he was silent and did not respond to me. Then he said, [Say!] I replied, ‘What should I say, 0 Messenger of Allah?’ He said, {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.”} So, I recited it until I reached its end. Then he said, [Say!] I replied, ‘What should I say 0 Messenger of Allah?’ He said, {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.}

So, I recited it until I reached its end. Then the Messenger of Allah said, "No person beseeches with anything like these, and no person seeks refuge with anything like these.")^[8]

Another Hadith

An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn ‘Abis Al-Juhani said that the Prophet said to him, "0 Ibn ‘Abis! Shall I guide you to — or inform you — of the best thing that those who seek protection use for protection?" He replied, “Of course, 0 Messenger of Allah!” The Prophet said, {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.”} and {Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.”} These two Surahs (are the best protection)."^[9]

Imam Malik recorded from ‘A’ishah that whenever the Messenger of Allah was suffering from an ailment, he would recite the Mu’awwidhatayn over himself and blow (over himself). Then if his pain became severe, ‘A’ishah said that she would recite the Mu’awwidhatayn over him and take his hand and wipe it over himself seeking the blessing of those Surahs.^[10] Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Mãjah all recorded this Hadith.^[11] It has been reported from Abu Sa’id that the Messenger of Allah used to seek protection against the evil eyes of the Jinns and mankind. But when the Mu’awwidhatayn were revealed, he used them (for protection) and abandoned all else besides them. At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded this. At-Tirmidhi said, “This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.”^[12]

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Jabir said, “Al-Falaq is the morning.”^[13] Al-’Awfi reported from Ibn ‘Abbas, “Al-Falaq is the morning.”^[14] The same has been reported from Mujahid, Sa’id bin Jubayr, ‘Abdullah bin Muhammad bin ‘Aqil, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Muliammad bin Ka’b Al-Qurazi and Ibn Zayd. Malik also reported a similar statement from Zayd bin Aslam.^[15] Al-Qurazi, Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir all said, “This is like Allah’s saying, {He is the Cleaver of the daybreak.}” (6:96)

Allah said, {From the evil of what He has created,} This means from the evil of all created things. Thabit Al-Bunani and Al-Hasan Al-Basri both said, “Hell, Iblis and his progeny, from among that which He (Allah) created.”

{And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,}

Mujahid said, “Ghasiq is the night, and ‘when it Waqab’ refers to the setting of the sun.” Al-Bukhari mentioned this from him.^[16] Ibn Abi Najih also reported a similar narration from him (Mujahid).

The same was said by Ibn ‘Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka’b Al-Qurazi, Ad-Dahhak, Khusayf, Al-klasan and Qatadah. They said, “Verily, it is the night when it advances with its darkness.”^[17] Az-Zuhrj said, {And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,} “This means the sun when it sets.” Abu Al-Muhazzim reported that Abu Hurayrah said, {And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,}

“This means the star. ,,[^[18] Ibn Zayd said, “The Arabs used to say, ‘Al-Ghasiq is the declination (of the position) of the heavenly body known as Pleiades. The number of those who were ill and stricken with plague would increase whenever it would decline, and their number would lessen whenever it rose.’ ^[19]

Ibn Jarir said, “Others have said that it is the moon.” The support for the people who hold this position (that it means the moon) is a narration that Imam Ahmad recorded from Al-Harith bin Abi Salamah. He said that ‘A’ishah said, “The Messenger of Allah took me by my hand and showed me the moon when it rose, and he said, "Seek refuge with Allah from the evil of this Ghasiq when it becomes dark."^[20] At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i both recorded this Hadith in their Books of Tafsir in their Sunans.^[21]

Allah said, {And from the evil of the blowers in knots,} Mujahid, ‘Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak all said, “This means the witches.”^[22] Mujahid said, “When they perform their spells and blow into the knots.”

In another Hadith it has been reported that Jibril came to the Prophet and said, “Are you suffering from any ailment, O Muhammad?” The Prophet replied, "Yes." So Jibril said, “In the Name of Allah, I recite prayer (Ruqyah) over you, from every illness that harms you, from the evil of every envious person and evil eye. May Allah cure you."^[23]

Discussion of the Bewitchment of the Prophet

In the Book of Medicine of his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded that ‘A’ishah said, “The Messenger of Allah was bewitched until he thought that he had relations with his wives, but he had not had relations with them.” Sufyan said, “This is the worst form of magic when it reaches this stage.” So the Prophet said, "0 ‘A’ishah! Do you know that Allah has answered me concerning that which I asked Him? Two men came to me and one of them sat by my head while the other sat by my feet. The one who was sitting by my head said to the other one, ‘What is wrong with this man?’ The other replied, ‘He is bewitched.’ The first one said, ‘Who bewitched him?’ The other replied, ‘Labid bin A’sam. He is a man from the tribe of Banu Zurayq who is an ally of the Jews, and a hypocrite.’ The first one asked, ‘With what (did he bewitch him)?’ The other replied, ‘With a comb and hair from the comb.’ The first one asked, ‘Where (is the comb)?’ The other answered, ‘In the dried bark of a male date palm under a rock in a well called Dharwün.’

‘Aishah said, “So he went to the well to remove it (the comb with the hair). Then he said, "This is the well that I saw. It was as if its water had henna soaked in it and its palm trees were like the heads of devils. So he removed it (of the well). Then I (‘A’ishah) said, ‘Will you not make this public?’ He replied, "Allah has cured me and I hate to spread (the news of) wickedness to any of the people."^[24]

^[1]  Ahmad 5:129.
^[2]  Muslim 1:558
^[3]  Ahmad 4:144, Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi 9:303, and An-Nasa’i 8:254.
^[4]  ‘Uqayb means, “little ‘Uqbah.”
^[5]  Ahmad 4:144
^[6]  Abu Dawud 2:152 and An-Nasa'i 8:252, 253.
^[7]  Al-Kuna by Ad-Dulabi 1:106.
^[8]  An-Nasa'i 8:253.
^[9]  An-Nasa'i 8 :251.
^[10] Muwatta’ 2:942.
^[11] Fath Al-Bari 8:679, Muslim 4:1723, Abu Dawud 4:220, An-Nasa'i in Al-Kubra 4:867, 368, and Ibn Majah 2:1166.
^[12] Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi 6:218, An-Nasa’i 8:271, and Ibn Majah 2 :1161.
^[13] At-Tabari 24 :700.
^[14] At-Tabari 24 :701.
^[15] At-Tabari 24:700, 701. [4] At-Tabari 24:701.
^[16] Fath Al-Bad 8:613.
^[17] At-Tabari 12 :748, 749.
^[18] At-Tabari 12:149.
^[19] At-Tabari 12:149.
^[20] Ahmad 6:61.
^[21] At-Tirmidhi no. 3366.
^[22] At-Tabari 12 :750, 751.
^[23] Muslim no. 2186.
^[24] Fath Al-Bari 10:243.