Surah Falaq

Surah Falaq (سورَةُ الفَلَق), which takes its name from its first verse, meaning daybreak, the other name of it being Mu‘awwadhah (مُعَوَّذَة), meaning seeking refuge, is the 113th chapter of the Quran. God revealed surah Falaq to Prophet Muhammad in Medina. In this surah, God orders His prophet to seek refuge in Him from any evil that exists in this world of His creatures. Moreover, God asks the Prophet to seek refuge in Him from the evil of witches who curse people by blowing on knots, and finally, from the jealous. Quranic exegetes have said that God revealed this surah and the next surah, surah Nās (النّاس), consecutively to the Prophet. In fact, surah Falaq and Nās are known as Ma‘ūdhatayn (مَعوذَتَين), meaning the two surah for seeking refuge, which Muslims usually recite together.

Facts about Surah Falaq

Arabic Text and Translation of Surah Falaq

Occasion and Context of Revelation of Surah Falaq

Not much has been said about the occasion of revelation of surah Falaq other than one account. A group of exegetes have said that surah Falaq and Nās respectively were revealed to Prophet Muhammad after his holiness became ill. Therefore, God revealed this surah to the Prophet whereupon the angel Gabriel (جِبرائيل) told him that a Jewish man had put a curse on him and the curse was in a well. As a result, the Noble Prophet asked Imam Ali (إمام علي) to go to the well to remove the curse by reciting these two surahs.

Imam Ali found a rope with several knots. At that instant, he recited one verse of surah Falaq and Nās respectively to each knot after which he opened them. After he opened all of the knots and recited the verses of the two surahs to them, the Prophet was cured.

Although some exegetes cast doubt on the veracity of this account, some Quranic exegetes have said that this incident might well be true because the Prophet was protected from any curse or bewitchment that would be put to his soul, heart, and intellect, not his body. In addition, the Prophet would recite these two surahs for his two dear grandsons Imam Hassan (الحَسَن) and Imam Hussain (الحُسَين) for their protection against any harm and evil, too.

Tafseer of Surah Falaq

God tells us that we must seek refuge in Him from the evils that exist in His creation:

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيم

In the name of Allah, the most compassionate, most merciful

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ﴿1﴾

Say, ‘I seek the protection of the Lord of the daybreak

مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ﴿2﴾

from the evil of what He has created,

However, it is important to realize that God has not created evil in His creation and creatures, but rather they themselves have made themselves devoid of good, thus bringing about evil in themselves. To put it differently, absence of good is evil. Therefore, anything that lacks good or purges itself of good becomes evil. In other words, the absence of any good trait is an evil trait. To illustrate, someone who does not have good manners and is impolite simply lacks good manners and politeness. Similarly, the one who is impatient and gets angry quickly, albeit inappropriately, simply lacks patience and forbearance.

To further explain, God has not created evil traits such as impoliteness, impatience, profanity, dirtiness and so on originally. It is the absence of the opposite of these traits, meaning good traits that leads to evil traits. Furthermore, it is one’s own carnal soul as well as the Satan that brings evil to a thing or person as a result of deviation from the straight path, the path of God:

مَّا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ

Whatever good befalls you is from Allah; and whatever ill befalls you is from yourself. 1

God: The Best Refuge as stated in Surah Falaq

God is the best refuge for anyone who seeks help or protection, as God is the owner of all that exists in the heavens and earth and has power over all things:

وَلِلَّـهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Allah has power over all things. 2

Moreover, God is the best of protectors and most merciful of the merciful:

فَاللَّـهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Allah is the best of protectors, and He is the most merciful of merciful ones.’ 3

Likewise, as our noble prophet Abraham (إبراهيم) has said in a prayer that is mentioned in the Quran, it is God who:

1. Created us then guided us
2. Gives us food and drink
3. Cures us when we become sick
4. Causes us to die and be resurrected again
5. Forgives us of our sins

الَّذِي خَلَقَنِي فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ ﴿78﴾

[He is] the one created me, it is He who guides me,

وَالَّذِي هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِ ﴿79﴾

and provides me with food and drink,

وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ ﴿80﴾

and when I get sick, it is He who cures me;

وَالَّذِي يُمِيتُنِي ثُمَّ يُحْيِينِ ﴿81﴾

who will make me die, then He will bring me to life,

وَالَّذِي أَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لِي خَطِيئَتِي يَوْمَ الدِّينِ ﴿82﴾

and who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Retribution.’ 4

Therefore, because everything of ours is in His hands, He is undoubtedly the best refuge.

Evil of the Dark Night

The third verse of surah Falaq reads:

وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ﴿3﴾

and from the evil of the dark night when it falls,

Why is it that darkness of the night can have evil? Evidently, it is easier for crimes and sins to be committed at night than during the day, because it is easier to do things secretly when it is dark. Evil acts and crimes such as theft, murder, assault, treachery, and other acts are more easily done at night rather than during the day. For this reason, God tells His prophet to seek refuge in Him from the evil of the dark night. Of course, it must not be neglected that the darkness of night can also be a blessing, as it is a time for resting and going to sleep so one can have energy to work during the day:

اللَّـهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿61﴾

It is Allah who made the night for you, that you may rest in it, and the day to provide visibility. Indeed Allah is gracious to mankind, but most people do not give thanks. 5

Evil of Witches

Verse four of surah Falaq reads:

وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ﴿4﴾

and from the evil of the witches, who blow on knots,

This verse refers to certain women who put curses on people by blowing on knots. This verse of surah Falaq proves that sorcery and witchcraft is real. Because it is mostly practiced by women, the verse tells us to seek refuge in God from witches who practice such black magic and sorcery.

Evil of the Jealous

The last verse of surah Falaq is about the evil of the jealous people when they feel jealous of someone:

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ﴿5﴾

and from the evil of the envious one when he envies.’

Perhaps this verse refers to the evil eye, known as al-‘ayn (العَين) in Arabic. This refers to when someone sees something very remarkable, surprising, or beautiful in someone and is amazed by it. For example, if someone sees a beautiful or handsome person, they are amazed by it and say, “Wow! He or she is so beautiful or handsome!” This could cause a feeling of subconscious jealousy in the person and may do harm to that individual.

God has told us that we must say Mashā-Allah (ماشاءَ الله) when we are amazed or fascinated by someone or something. In this way, the effects of the evil eye will be lessened. Above all, reciting surah Falaq specifically, and the other three surahs that begin with qul serve as a protection from the evil of the jealous and envious. The four surahs that begin with qul and people usually recite together for protection are the following surahs:

1. Ikhlas (الإِخلاص)
2. Kāfirūn (الکافِرون)
3. Falaq (الفَلَق)
4. Nās (النّاس)

Virtues of Reciting Surah Falaq

By virtues, we mean the spiritual effects and rewards that reciting a surah brings. As for surah Falaq, several virtues have been enumerated for its recitation:

Reciting the Scriptures of All Prophets

The Noble Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said that whoever recites the two surahs of Falaq and Nās, it is as though he has recited all the scriptures of Divine prophets. 6

Acceptance of Night Prayer (صَلوٰةُ الَّيل)

One of our noble Imams has said, “Whoever recites the three surahs of Falaq, Nās, and Ikhlas in the Watr (وَتر) prayer of his night prayer, a caller will address him saying, ‘Good news for you that God has accepted your Watr prayer.” 7

One of the Most Beloved Surahs

The Noble Prophet has said: The two surahs of Falaq and Nās are among the most cherished surahs of the Quran before God. 8

Recitation of the Whole Quran and Forgiveness of All Sins

Our dear Prophet has said, “Whoever recites the three surahs of Ikhlas, Nās, and Falaq ten times every night, it is as though he has recited the whole Quran, his sins will be forgiven as though he has just been born, and his death will be martyrdom.” 9

Benefits of Surah Falaq

By benefits, we mean the effects that reciting the surah has in one’s worldly life.

Source of Cure and Safety From Sorcery

A narration states, whoever recites surah Falaq, it will be a source of cure for him and safety from sorcery. In addition, it will be a mercy from God and a means for maintaining health. 10

Similarly, another narration states that whenever the Noble Prophet felt pain in a part of his body, he would recite surahs Ikhlas, Falaq, and Nās to his right hand and then would stroke the part of his body that had pain. 11

Prevention of Nightmares

One of our holy Imams has said: Whoever has disturbing dreams should recite surahs Falaq and Nās as well as Ayat al-Kursi (آيَةُ الکُرسيّ) [verses 255-257 of surah Baqarah]. 12

In conclusion, we learn that such a short and easily memorized surah can be a source of so many blessings. By memorizing and reciting this surah, we will be protected from harms and evils that exist in our lives, God willing.