Surah An-Nas 114:1-6 - Quran Translation Commentary

1. The first addressee of this Verse is the Prophet. The commencement of the Surah with the word Qul (Say) is the proof of the fact that these are the revealed words, and the Prophet has conveyed Allah’s Message in the same words in which it was received by him. Not a single word of the revealed message was dropped by him, not even the word Qul (Say). This is the clear proof of the holy Quran being the revelation from God, word by word.

2. Lord of mankind means the Cherisher of all people and the Real Master. The Verse means that the God who is the Lord of mankind is also the Giver of refuge. There is no other Giver of refuge beside Him, therefore I turn to him for seeking refuge.

Similar subject matter is also found in the Zabur:

“Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge, I say to the Lord, ‘Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee. (Psalms 16:1,2)

It may be noted that the literal meaning of the word ‘Aoo’zu’ is I take refuge, which is expressive of the fact that the slave not only seeks refuge in God but he has also placed himself under his protection and shelter, and has taken his support. Since the two Surahs, Falaq and Nas, are Surahs of prayer, and generally on such occasions the idiom of seeking refuge is used., we have translated the word “Aoo’zu” as I seek refuge.

3. That is: God is the real King of mankind, therefore, He is fully capable of protecting His slaves, and therefore, I take the support of the Most Powerful Being.

This shows that as Allah’s rule is established on the earth and the skies, in the same way it is also established on mankind. There is no group of humans on whom His rule is not established, therefore it is against reality if some group thinks it-self independent of His sovereignty. Such an attitude does not alter the reality, but it does change man’s conduct, that is: man becomes transgressor in his field of activity.

4. That is: In reality the God of all mankind is Allah, and His being worthy of worship by all is the demand of His being the Lord and King. It is another thing if people have deviated from this reality and have made others beside Allah as their gods. The Being that deserves to be worshipped is Allah, and the attribute of being worthy of worship in this universe is His alone. It is He who is worshipped in the heavens and also on the earth, and therefore there is none beside, Him worthy of worship by the humans.

When the slave, thinking Allah to be the Lord, King and God, prays for refuge, He accepts it, In other words, for the acceptance of the prayer of refuge the belief in the oneness Allah (Tawheed) is essential.

5. Waswasah means to cast a bad thought in someone’s heart imperceptibly, and. Waswas means one who indulges in this act of casting bad thought in others’ hearts, etc. This is a quality of Satan, and his another quality is khannas. which is derived from the word Khunus. which means hiding, disappearing, and withdrawing. Its other meaning is shrinking.

When Satan wants to induce a man to commit a sin, he presents that sin in a beautiful form and assures him of a pleasant end. This thing enters man’s heart in the form of waswasah (secret bad thought), and when the man goes under his influence, this thought takes a firm shape and then is converted into action. The first act of casting bad thought or creating doubts in the heart was practiced by Satan on Adam and Hawwa (Eve):

“Then the Satan whispered suggestions to them, so that he may discover to them their shameful part that were hidden from them (before); he said: “Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest you should become angels or such beings as live for ever. And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.” (Al-A’raf-20,21)

This is a clear example of how Satan comes as a well wisher and how he induces humans in an attractive way to commit sin. Although he had appeared before Adam and Hawwa, but in the world his machinations are carried out as attacks of a sneaking enemy, therefore man does not know about his mischief, However, in his heart he is conscious about these bad thoughts. But to act or not on these bad thoughts depends on man’s own decision. If he is awake and alert about his enemy, then the satanic machinations have no effect on him, and if he is neglectful, he is influenced by it. A man’s heart is awake only when the remembrance of God is in it. Remembrance of Allah and reciting his words is the most effective weapon of defence for men. Using this weapon, when he seeks Allah’s refuge from the evil of satanic machinations, then they become quite effective, and Satan has to return disappointed. The purport of the verse is to alert man against the secret activities of Satan, so that man may be watchful against his enemy and may make preparation for his protection.

This is the general aspect of the meaning of this verse. The special aspect, with reference to context, is particularly this fact that the greatest danger to the guidance which has been provided to the people of faith in the form of Quran is from the machinations of instilling fancies by Satan, that is: he can put such thoughts in the heart which create doubts and misgivings about Quran and which deviate him from the path of guidance, particularly about the belief in the Oneness of Allah, which is the basis of religion and the real spirit of Quran. The machinations of Satan can be only against this, therefore it “is absolutely necessary to be wary of the tricks of the enemy and of safeguarding the belief and the religion.

6. To create doubts in the hearts is according to the common idiom, but the actual word used is ‘sudoor’, which is plural of ‘sadar’, which means breast. The target of machinations of Satan is man’s inner self, that is his breast. Breast is like a doorstep for the heart, from which doubts and evil thoughts enter the heart. Allama Ibn Qayyim has explained it very ably:

“This point is worth considering that Allah has said:

“Who casts evil suggestion in the breasts of mankind, “ and did not say he who casts evil suggestion and doubts, in the hearts,” because breast is the compound of the heart and its house, from where the feelings and thoughts enter and collect in the breast and then enter the heart, that is, first they gather in the breast and thereafter enter the heart. Therefore, the breast is like a threshold for the heart. All commands and intentions come from the heart and then enter the breast and from there they are distributed among their armies (helpers).(Tafseer Al-Mu’a- vvizatain Ibne Qaiyyim.p.66)

That is: the doubts and evil thoughts do not enter the heart directly, but enter through the breast, as if Satan’s arrows lodge in the breast, and their poisonous effect affects the heart only when the heart is sleeping the slumber of neglect; otherwise if the heart is awake with the remembrance of Allah, it defends itself and remains safe from the poisonous effect.

7. That is: The devil who casts doubts in the hearts of men is not only Satan (Iblees) but there are many devils among the Jinn and men who go on doing this work:

“Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,--evil ones among men and Jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.”(Al-An’am -112)

So far as the devils from the Jinn are concerned. their launching attacks stealthily is obvious. As regards the devils from among men. when they indulge in their machinations, they hide their reality about being devils. Therefore they appear as the well wishers of men because they know that their suggestion and advice would be welcome only when they pose as well wishers and sincere advisers. If they come in their real form as the evil-lovers, none would be prepared to listen to them.

Here it should be understood that in connection with spreading the evil the main role is of the devils from among the Jinns, whose chief is “Iblees”, and the human devils are their servants.