Sūrah (Chapter) al-Falaq and Sūrah (Chapter) al-Nās are also referred to as al-Mu‘awwidhatān,i.e. those chapters through reciting which one seeks the protection of Allah the Almighty. This name was designated to these chapters as both begin with the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ[Say, ‘I seek refuge’]. That is, readers are instructed to proclaim that they take refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, the Lord of Mankind, to be safeguarded against all kinds of evil, both on an individual and collective level.
It is noteworthy that Allah Almighty instructs the believer in the Holy Qur’an to seek His protection when beginning to recite the Qur’an, as stated in the following verse فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ (: [when thou recitest the Quran, seek refuge with Allah]. Although when starting to recite the Holy Qur’an, one is instructed to recite أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge], the Holy Qur’an’s revelation did not begin with the words أَعُوذُ. Subsequently, the first verse of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ [in the name of Allah, Most gracious, Ever Merciful] and not ِأَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْم [I see refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed]. In short, even though Allah commands us to recite أَعُوذُ,before beginning the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, the word أَعُوذ was not revealed at the start of the Holy Qur’an. Although Allah does not specifically command us to recite أَعُوذafter completing one entire reading of the Qur’an, Allah did, however, reveal the word أَعُوذُ Himself at the end of the Holy Qur’an. This is why Allah Almighty placed two Chapters, that is, Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās, at the end, which all readers of the Holy Qur’ān are obliged to recite to complete the Quran. And there is profound wisdom in adopting this method:
1) When a person intends to do a virtuous deed, one does not become deserving of God’s absolute grace by mere intention alone; rather, when one desires to do good, God Almighty Himself guides him to the right path and teachings, i.e., his resolve is strengthened by the support of Allah. This is the reason why Allah the Almighty has commanded us to recite أَعُوذُ when beginning the recitation of the Holy Quran. However, He did not reveal the word أَعُوذُ [for when beginning the recitation of the Quran]. Therefore, God Almighty did not put the word أَعُوذُ in the form of Quranic revelation in the beginning. Instead, Allah states that whenever you wish to recite the Holy Qur’ān, recite أَعُوذُ along with it. It is as though God Almighty has taught us the means to strengthen our intention and resolve. But once we have finished reading the Qur’ān and acted upon it, the chapters with أَعُوذُ were placed at the end. Meaning before a person even makes an intention, Allah, through His help, makes him recite أَعُوذُ. We derive from this that when one makes the intention, He is supported by Allah according to their endeavour, and when one acts upon that intention, Allah enables them to fulfil that action.
2) Whenever a Muslim begins to read the Holy Qur’ān, whether it is from the beginning, middle, or end, they will not be aware of the deeper meanings of the Quranic injunctions, as they would not have studied the Holy Qur’an in depth. However, once they have read the Qur’an entirely from beginning to end, they become acquainted with the intricacies and subtleties of faith and the details of the actions one should perform.One begins to understand what deeds they should perform and what actions to abstain from. One also learns about the various kinds of pitfalls and obstacles that can make one stumble and falter. In short, after reading the Holy Qur’an, the mind is broadened, and one begins to understand his responsibilities and becomes worried lest he falls short of fulfilling these duties. Hence, Allah Almighty has taught us [to say] أَعُوذُ in both these cases. Allah commands one to seek His protection before reciting the Holy Qur’ān. The words the Holy Prophet (sa) instructed us to recite [أَعُوذُ] prior to reading the Holy Qur’an are exceptionally brief and are in accord with the psyche of the reader of the Holy Qur’an. But the words أَعُوذُ revealed by Allah the Almighty at the end of the Holy Qur’an encompass incredibly vast and profound meanings, wherein a perfect prayer is taught to safeguard oneself against all harmful things. It is a supplication that corresponds with the state of mind of the person who has finished reading the entire Holy Qur’an, comprehended it, and gained knowledge of everything, including the subtle and finer details as well as major and obvious injunctions, and he comes to understand all matters he must abstain from, and all matters that he should seek out and adopt. Both types of isti‘ādhah[seeking Refuge with Allah] are based upon profound wisdom. The case of one who recites أَعُوذُ at the beginning and the end of the Holy Qur’ān can be likened to one who wishes to build a house and requests a righteous person to lay the foundation stone with their hands and thereafter, upon its completion, requests them to pray once again. The same is the case with good deeds. When one wishes to build a House of Virtue, they must allow the first brick to be laid by the hands of God Almighty. Similarly, it is also essential that when the House of Virtue is completed, the final brick is also laid by the hands of God Almighty. Thus, when we recite أَعُوذُ at the beginning of the Holy Quran, it is as though Allah the Almighty is laying the foundation stone of the House of Virtue for us. And towards the end, when we recite أَعُوذُ, it is as though we are inaugurating this House of Taqwā [righteousness] by the hands of Allah Almighty Himself. Without these two things, the edifice of faith remains incomplete. This is the method revealed to us in the command to recite أَعُوذُ.
3) Further, the command of reciting أَعُوذُ at the beginning of one’s recitation of the Holy Qur’ān and by revealing al-Mu‘awwidhatān at the end indicates that one’s spiritual as well as secular affairs should begin and end by seeking refuge with God Almighty. This is because one cannot dispense with or be independent of God Almighty’s support and protection, no matter how well-versed one might be in matters of religion and irrespective of the level of their divine perception and insight. Not only was the Holy Prophet (sa) the best of all humans, indeed, he was also the chief of all the prophets. Moreover, he was, in fact, the objective of man’s creation. That is to say, God Almighty created man because Prophet Muḥammad (sa) was to appear from among mankind, as indicated by al-Ḥadīth al-Qudsī:
َلَوْلَاَكَ لَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْأَفْلَاك
That is, ‘O Muhammad, [Messenger of Allah!] If it were not for your existence, I would neither have created the heavens and the earth nor any other creation.’
Despite having attained such a high rank, we still find mention in the Ahadith that the Holy Prophet (sa) used to stand before Allah in the Tahajjud [optional prayer in the latter part of the night] prayer for so long that his feet would become swollen. Upon observing his state, one-day Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah (ra) enquired: “O Messenger of Allah! Allah has forgiven your past and future shortcomings, so why must you stand for so long in the Tahajjud prayer like this?’ He replied: O ‘Ā’ishah! Should I not be a grateful servant of Allah? In other words, he meant that since God Almighty had graced him so immensely, his responsibility had also increased, and it had become imperative for him to worship God Almighty and thank Him more than ever before.
In a similar account, once the Holy Prophet (sa) spoke to Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah (ra) on the topic of salvation. Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah (ra) said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! We have to strive and make efforts for our salvation, but since God has decreed salvation for you, why must you perform good deeds?’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said this was not correct, explaining that even his own salvation was dependent upon the grace of God alone. Regardless of how much one progresses in performing virtuous deeds, whatever spiritual status one reaches, they still cannot dispense with the protection of Allah Almighty. Since the Holy Prophet (sa) declared that he, too, would attain salvation through the grace of God Almighty, who, then can claim they have progressed to such a degree as to no longer need Allah’s Mercy and Grace and that they can attain success through their own endeavours alone? Muslims are instructed to constantly bow before the threshold of Allah Almighty in all circumstances and to continue seeking His Help and Support. Yet when one carries out good deeds for just a short period of time, they succumb to arrogance and vanity. If, for a couple of days, one observes prayer, they view it as a favour to God Almighty. If one observes a few fasts, they think they have done a huge favour for God Almighty and that now He is somehow obliged to fulfil their wishes. If they give a small amount in alms, they fall under the illusion that now, somehow, Allah Almighty is indebted to them, and if God does not give them preferential treatment, then, God forbid, God is in the wrong! These are the ways that destroy a person, and when they continue along in this spirit and attitude, no matter how high a status one might have attained, their deeds are wasted away, and they are reduced to the lowest stage. Thus, a person should always continue to seek the protection of Allah Almighty so that they do not become arrogant and thus deprived of Allah’s favours.
Arrogance also deprives a person from virtue at the beginning [of one’s spiritual journey], that is to say, a person is given a suggestion, he cannot tolerate hearing it. Arrogance is a means of destroying him when he has progressed to the highest stage as well, because one begins to think that he has reached such a stage of spirituality that he no longer needs the help of Allah Almighty. Humāyūn was a famous Emperor of India. Humāyūn was passing through the province of Bihār with a powerful army after having defeated the Afghan Sūrī family in Bengal. Standing on the banks of the river, he observed his army spread far and wide, he uttered the following words:
‘This is such a large army that even if God wanted to destroy it, it would take Him a while too.’
At this time, the Pathanarmy that he had defeated was slowly pursuing him. They did not do this to get revenge – for they did not have the courage for vengeance – but rather so that if they found any stray soldier here or there from Humāyūn’s army that they could kill him, just as in guerrilla warfare. The gorilla is an ape who attacks while waiting in ambush, and that is why this name is now used to refer to the kind of combat in which one attacks the enemy in an ambush. So they were also stealthily coming towards Humāyūn’s army in this way, but because they had no commander, they were unable to carry out a co-ordinated attack. As soon as Humāyūn had uttered these [above-mentioned] words, an Afghan ruler, Sher Shāh Sūrī, who Humāyūn had taken captive, heard them and was so overcome by honour that he jerked the rope he was bound by with such force that it broke, and he fled to rejoin his Afghan battalion. Because they had needed only a leader, when he arrived, after mutual consultation they launched a sudden ambush during the night on Humāyūn’s army. The result was that the army dispersed in such a manner that it became difficult for the emperor to save himself. As those familiar with history know, to save himself, Humāyūn mounted a horse and plunged into the river. But as the horse reached midstream, it succumbed to exhaustion and drowned. Humāyūn was about to drown when he was rescued by a water-carrier in exchange for the promise of ruling the kingdom for half a day. Thereafter, he was unable to regain control over India and fled to Persia. So whether one succeeds in their secular affairs or their religious ones, one is led to ruin when they become arrogant. Hence why Allah Almighty instructs us to seek refuge at the end of the Holy Qur’an. And it has guided us: ‘Observe! You have studied the Qur’an, understood and pondered over its meanings and have progressed in your spirituality, but do remember that as soon as you deem yourself superior to others and are overtaken by arrogance, then that will be the day of your ruin. Therefore, whenever you start performing any task, religious or secular, always keep God Almighty in mind, and also when completing a task, also keep Him in your mind.’
Moreover, it also appears to contain a prophecy that the Muslims will become arrogant in the latter days as a result of the victories they received from God Almighty, and consequently all kinds of calamities would start to befall them. Thus, they must ensure that they continue reciting Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās so that Allah Almighty saves them from arrogance and suspicions and doubts of the mind, and protects them against the onslaughts of the enemy.
One subtle point worth bearing in mind is the fact that the word قُلْ [Say] precedes أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge]. Some people, without even reflecting over it first, ask: Why was the word قُلْ [Say] placed here? In other words, according to them, it should have simply been said: أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ” [I seek refuge in the Lord of Falaq]. And their argument is that if the reader recites قُلْ [Say], it does not generate the same fervour in one’s heart as when one simply recites أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ [I seek refuge in the Lord of Falaq].
When the late Ḥaḍrat Maulawī ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Siālkotī (ra) recited these chapters in congregational prayers, it is for this reason that he would pause a little after the word قُلْ [Say], and then read أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ [I seek refuge with the Lord of Falaq].
In many minds the thought arises that the word قُلْ [Say] subdues the fervour and passion that could have been generated without reciting قُلْ [Say]. The truth is that the word قُلْ [Say] does not reduce the reader’s fervour and passion, but rather increases it. This is because the mention of قُلْ [Say] here signifies that this command is also addressed to the Holy Prophet (sa), and in the words أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge] the Holy Prophet (sa) is the first to be commanded [to seek refuge] here, and if أَعُوذُ was present alone without قُلْ [Say], the reader would have thought that the command to seek refuge was directed only to themselves personally, not to the Holy Prophet (sa). And thus when say أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ, [I seek refuge with the Lord of Falaq], every person would have considered himself the addressee So some people, like as is well known in Punjabi, when they say, ہما تڑاں داکی ہے; in other words, ‘what is the importance and value in our saying I seek refuge?’ However, when Allah Almighty addresses the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa) and commanded him to قُلْ [Say] and proclaim to the people that, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of Falaq despite my attaining the loftiest and most exalted spiritual rank’ – so the members of the Muslim Ummah should better understand the significance of seeking refuge with Allah. Generally, one may think that أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge] is used with reference to people of lower spiritual rank; but by including the word قُلْ[Say], Allah has shown that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) is the first addressee of this command. It is as though the Holy Prophet (sa) is saying, ‘I, too, am not exempt or beyond seeking refuge with Allah; in fact, I, in practice, bow before Allah Almighty by declaring أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge].’ Thus, adding قُلْ [Say] here does not reduce one’s passion and fervour but rather increases it, and its significance is highlighted further by the fact that God Almighty has commanded a prophet of God, i.e., the most extraordinary of beings, who is the focal-point of all spiritual excellences, to seek refuge with Him, how much more should others seek refuge with Him?
Another question that may arise here is that أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge] may denote the meaning that ‘O God! I am overcome by Satan due to my weaknesses and shortcomings, so I seek Your refuge. Therefore, I seek Your refuge’. Thus, in light of these meanings, the words أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge] and istighfār [the act of seeking forgiveness from Allah] carry the same meaning. Thus, by reciting أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge] one makes an admission to being sinful and beseeches God Almighty to cover and overlook his faults. Since the Holy Prophetsa is infallibleand his Satan had become Muslim, what is the purpose of his seeking refuge with Allah, then? In response to this it should be remembered that if an ordinary person says, ‘I seek refuge with God from Satan, the accursed,’ then clearly he is confessing his sins. As for the Holy Prophet’s (sa) seeking refuge, it cannot be considered in the same context, because he is infallible. This is why Allah began these chapters with قُلْ [Say] to indicate that the Holy Prophet (sa) did not seek refuge with God on account of his sins, but rather in fulfilment of Allah Almighty’s command, so that in the future Satan could not conspire against the Holy Prophet (sa) and his community.
The prophet cares for his followers as a shepherd cares for his flock. Sometimes the shepherd does not care for his own life, rather would place himself into difficulty and trial in an attempt to save his flock. The prophets also act in this same manner, who seek refuge with God Almighty so that the flock entrusted to them may be protected from Satan’s onslaughts, as Satan does not pose a threat to the prophet, but certainly threatens his flock. In short, the prophet seeks refuge in order to avert Satan’s indirect attacks on him, because attacking the prophet’s nation is tantamount to attacking him. Therefore, the Holy Prophet’s (sa) seeking refuge is different from when an ordinary person recites أَعُوذُ [I seek refuge].
The word أَعُوذُ ‘I seek refuge’ appears at the beginning of both the chapters al-Falaq and al-Nās, which mean that they both include the subject matter of the manner in which a person seeks refuge in God Almighty. Here, the question that naturally arises is: When both chapters contain the same subject matter, why were the two chapters not combined into one? Why have they been separated?
One must bear in mind that the chapter al-Falaq focuses more on teaching a prayer to avert the evils of the rest of creation, aside from those created by man, and chapter al-Nās mainly deals with teaching us to seek refuge from the evils that originate from man. As these are two distinct topics, they were mentioned in two separate chapters. God Almighty said, قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ‘Say, I seek refuge with the Rabb of al-Falaq.’ In قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ the word Rabb refers to the Being Who gradually nurtures a person, developing him until he develops him to perfection. The seven meanings of al-Falaq have already been cited in the Lexical Analysis, [see June 2023 edition] and all of them apply here.
1: The first meaning of al-Falaq is الصُّبْحُ [the dawn], and accordingly, رَبّ الْفَلَقِ means ‘the Lord of the Dawn.’ And قُلْ اعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ means ‘Say, I seek refuge with the Lord of the break of dawn’.
As I have already explained at the beginning of chapter al-Falaq’s commentary [See June 2023 edition] that this chapter relates with chapter an-Naṣr, in which it has been made clear that the foundation of Islam’s citadel of successes and victories, which was laid by the hands of the Holy Prophet (sa), will continue to prosper and flourish until it is completed, and if ever an obstacle is encountered, it will be blown away like dry leaves by God Almighty. In chapter al-Falaq, Muslims are taught to pray that Allah Almighty progresses their victories and successes to culmination, and to pray that their victory lasts forever, lest the enemy stand in their way and damages their citadel of triumph, or creates a rift among them, such that they are prevented from protecting it.
The Holy Prophet (sa) lived in Makkah for thirteen years. It was an era of darkness in terms of the hardship and the trials and tribulations he endured, however, thereafter, he migrated to Madinah. Subsequently, the dawn of prosperity began to appear. The footprint and influence of Islam’s successes started to become visible on the one hand, and on the other, the hardships and suffering waned. It was like the early morning light which was not fully apparent, which a weak-sighted person could not perceive but a highly perceptive person could; he is glad and also hopeful that very soon the sun’s light would become visible to all, until eventually the sun would begin to shine as brightly as it does midday [at its zenith].
The dawn of the Muslims came after their migration to Madinah, and although the Muslims were now expectant of dawn finally breaking and they believed that soon light would spread across the horizon, the eyes of the opponents could not perceive this. Ultimately, the light began to appear, and the Muslims began to prevail until Makkah was conquered in the eighth year of Hijrah, and the light of Islam illuminated the Arabs. And thus, everyone began to witness the dawn break of Islam. In reference to such a time, Allah Almighty instructed that Prophet Muḥammad (sa) should take refuge with Rabb al-Falaq [Lord of the Dawn] and, similarly, that he should instruct all members of his Ummah to seek refuge with Rabb al-Falaq[Lord of the dawn]. On the one hand, the words Rabb al-Falaq indicate that the Muslims should pray that the sun of Islam should gradually rise until it reaches the zenith and dazzles the eyes of the people with its brilliance. On the other, it highlights that during this time of prosperity, Muslims should continue to seek God Almighty’s protection from falling into disarray, decline and failure.
The Holy Qur’an has addressed the believers as well as the disbelievers. In this verse, where Allah Almighty gives glad tidings to the Muslims, He also reminds the disbelievers about their objection that if Muḥammad (sa), i.e. was really the sun, then his light should be shining forth. It is as if God Almighty is saying: ‘Now the light of Our sun is about to be revealed, and all the spiritual and secular knowledge which hitherto was hidden will become apparent, and the transgressions and bad condition of the people which were concealed by the dark will become revealed and visible by virtue of this light. And now the people of the world would attain material progress and advancement, which they were previously devoid of. As the sun rises, there is a sense of awakening among the people. People begin to occupy themselves in various kinds of work for the sake of their progress. Then the defects and faults of things as well as their beauty which was hidden in the dark, will start to become noticeable. In the darkness of the night, the unpleasant is equal to the things of beauty; one cannot distinguish between the two. In the dark, all colours: red, white, black, yellow, blue and brown appear the same, but as the sun rises, these colours become distinct. The evil of the dreadful and the beauty of the beautiful start to become distinguished.
Here, Allah Almighty disclosed that with the completion of the Holy Qur’an, the spiritual sun will rise to its zenith. This would sharpen the intellect, and through this, the beauty and ugliness of things shall become apparent, and the doors of success will be opened to those who avail from this Sun; that is, the Muslims would make all kinds of progress in power, honour and prestige, trade, and industry etc. But the Muslims should bear in mind that just as light is accompanied by blessings, so, too, it brings afflictions. Man is faced with and enticed by various hues of beauties that seek to lead him astray from the true path. Similarly, light is not only a means of benefit but also a means of detriment. Therefore, Allah alludes to the fact that the rising sun of Islam may expose many of their faults, defects, and shortcomings because secular advancement creates in one’s heart an affinity with comfort, ease and luxury. As the desire to utilise one’s wealth unlawfully arises in one’s heart, so too can one’s knowledge of spirituality of which the rest of the world is deprived, lead one to arrogance and self-conceit. Similarly, spiritual and material dangers can arise. That is to say advancing in spiritual knowledge may lead one to self-conceit while material advancement can lead one to indulging in luxury. Hence why Allah declares: قُلْ اعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ‘Say, I seek refuge with the Rabb of al-Falaq.’ This means that the morning will inevitably come, and the Muslims will make intellectual and spiritual progress. The sun [of victory] will surely rise, but there looms the danger that this progress may have disastrous consequences. That is, the question is no longer how the Muslims would attain progress, but rather, the only fear now is lest they should face trials by virtue of the progress they have achieved. Therefore, a prayer is taught to the Muslims to seek refuge with Allah Almighty from the evils of all those things which He has created. Thus, مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ indicates that the Muslims will achieve everything because the supplication draws their attention to seek protection against the evil of all things.
Only one who already has everything in their possession would seek protection against the evil of all things. If one does not consume meat, one does not need to take corrective measures to be protected from its harms. So, when Allah Almighty states:
قُلْ اعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
this means, ‘I seek refuge with Rabb al-Falaq.’ i.e. He Who brings forth the morning, and causes the sun to rise. Min Sharri mā Khalaq That is, ‘and from the evil of that which He has created.’ Here, it is disclosed that the Muslims would be bestowed everything, which means that they would partake of all the blessings created by Allah Almighty in this world and that there would be no success in the world that they cannot expect to achieve. This suggests that their growth and progress would be exponential. Therefore, Allah Almighty instructs Prophet Muḥammad (sa) to start praying for the Muslims from now on, so that when they achieve success and prosperity, Allah safeguards them against all kinds of evil and negative outcomes.
In addition to being a collective prayer, the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ َQul Aʿūdhu bi Rabb al-Falaqteaches us a prayer to attain perfection at the individual level as well. Therefore, Rabb refers to the Being Who gradually nurtures man until he reaches [a state of] perfection. In light of this, the tenor of the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ is: ‘O Lord, Who brings forth light after darkness, bring me, too, out of the darkness into the light.’ It is evident that dawn breaks the darkness. Little by little it begins to get lighter, and the sun ascends until, by midday, it starts to shine brightly. It is as though it is said: ‘O Lord, Who combined in man all the personal excellences and provisions as were necessary for him to progress. You have explained how man uses these means to complete and perfect himself. O God, Who is Perfect in Himself! Grant me also the opportunity to attain excellences and perfection. Bestow such excellences upon me, in accordance with Your Rubūbiyyah [providence] so that I may shine, too, in the world just as the sun glows during its zenith. And safeguard me against all kinds of pain and afflictions, and let nothing hinder me from attaining excellence.
The word Falaq also means ُالْخَلْقُ كُلُّه i.e. all creation. Thus, قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ would mean here: ‘I seek refuge with the God Who is the Lord of all creation,’ that is, the Creator of all things big and small. In this verse, God Almighty has used the word al-Falaq instead of the word Khalq. The word al-Falaq has an additional meaning compared to the word Khalq, as Khalq only signifies creation while the word Al-Falaq also denotes the sense of moving from a lower to a higher state. Al-Falaq also means to proceed from darkness into light. This is why dawn is also referred to as al-Falaq. Hence, when something dark moves towards the light, it is referred to as al-Falaq. If only the word Khalq had been used, it would not have conveyed the sense that God nurtures mankind from a lower state to a higher one. However, the term al-Falaq signifies that initially [the process of] creation begins at a lower state and is then raised higher by Allah Almighty. Thus, in the words أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ, where Allah Almighty has instructed us to seek protection, He has also explained the means through which we should do so. That is to say, we should seek refuge with the Creator and Master of all things, and Who, protecting us from harmful and hurtful things, can enable us to achieve greater heights of success. For instance, if one is chased by a dog, only the dog’s owner can save one from its harm. Firstly, this command shows that the Being from Whom we should seek the protection is of the One Being Who is our Lord and Master. Secondly, that He is One Who grants refuge and has the ability to elevate all of creation from a low state to a high state.
مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ: “I seek His protection against the evil of all things He has created.” This indicates that there is nothing in the world that cannot be used for evil. Usually, people consider some things to be good and others to be evil. However, the Holy Qur’an tells us that this is not true. Everything can be good and everything can also be evil. There is nothing good in the world that is free from evil, and there is no evil that is completely devoid of good. Take, for instance, poverty and wealth. Without the grace of Allah Almighty, wealth can result in evil, while with God’s grace even poverty cannot bring evil consequences. What great wealth Prophet Solomon [on whom be peace] was blessed with! He himself says that Allah Almighty had blessed him immeasurably, yet his wealth acted as a force of good for him rather than evil. Similarly, many companions of the Holy Prophet (sa) were also very wealthy. It is reported that at his demise, Ḥaḍrat ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Ibn ‘Auf (ra), left behind wealth and property amounting to 25 million rupees – even though the Companions (ra) reported that he was not considered the wealthiest among them – which means that there were other Companions (ra) who were even more wealthy than Ḥaḍrat ‘Abd al-Raḥmān Ibn ‘Auf (ra). Yet despite their extreme wealth, their riches did not become evil for them. In contrast, there was a time when the companions experienced extreme poverty, but despite this, it did not bring about evil consequences for them, even though we observe that many people become dacoits and robbers because they are poor.
The truth is that evil consequences emerge for a person when they lose God’s protection and refuge. That is why God Almighty has taught us, قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ‘Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of all creation from the evil consequences of what He created”’, meaning: ‘Do not say, “Lord, x is evil, so save me from it and grant me y instead because it is good.”’ This is because the evil of all evil things and the goodness of all good things depends on how close or distant we are to divine refuge and protection. If a person does not seek refuge with Allah Almighty, even a good thing becomes evil for him, and if one seeks refuge in the sanctuary of God Almighty, then even something evil can become good for him. How wonderful it is, indeed, for one to possess knowledge of, and act upon the Book of God Almighty. Nevertheless, the Holy Qur’an likens the Jewish scholars to ‘a donkey carrying a load of books’ (62:6). And despite how evil Satan is, even the Holy Prophet (sa) used to say, ‘My Satan has become a Muslim, and only enjoins me to do good.’ This simply means that whatever thought Satan wanted to implant in the heart of the Holy Prophet (sa) would turn into a virtuous thought upon entering his heart.
The words: قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ draw one’s attention to seeking the help and protection of Allah Almighty while also indicating that if you wish to be safeguarded from the evil aspects of God’s creation, only Allah Almighty can save you. This is because He is the Lord of all creation and He knows best how to create good from all evil, and there is nothing among His creation that can move without His will.
Moreover, another meaning of مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ is that ‘O God, the Creator of all things: ‘I seek refuge with You against the defects that afflict things during the process of their formation, which would impede their progress and prevent them from reaching a state of perfection.’ Therefore, if there is any defect in the world, there is one of three causes:
- Defects when it was created.
- Defects at the end of something’s lifespan.
- Defects that develop due to the deteriorating conditions in the middle of its life.
The words مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ teach us the means to safeguard ourselves against the consequences that we may suffer from the defects at birth. Because if there are birth defects or problems when something is created, they will wreak havoc and the true purpose of [its creation] would be unattainable. For instance, man invented the pen but if it is not made well – if it is made badly – nobody would be able to write well with it. Similarly, if a house is built with a roof that leaks, nobody could comfortably stay in it. Or imagine one needs cold weather clothes but is given summer clothes or vice versa. This would be of no benefit. So too would be the case if someone were to buy a lame horse that they could not travel on.
So, anything that has an initial defect fails to achieve its desired purpose. It is for this reason that Allah Almighty has taught us the prayer: ‘Say: I seek Your protection against any defects left in me when I was created.’ When a person is born, they also inherit their parents’ evil deeds and faults. They have a tendency to behave in the same way as their parents. That is why the Holy Prophet (sa) commanded both husband and wife to supplicate and pray ‘O Lord, protect us from Satan and we ask for protection for our children as well’ when they engage in intercourse.
This demonstrates that some weaknesses are indeed inherited from one’s parents. It is a common observation that children inherit their height, intelligence, courage, and beliefs from their parents. The children of people who tell lies or steal also show an inclination to lie or steal. A son whose father suffers from tuberculosis is also likely to suffer the same fate. Thus, it is an entirely correct assertion that vices and weaknesses are just as heritable as are virtuous qualities. Thus, experience shows that the children of those families wherein knowledge has long abounded and who have had generation after generation of learned and knowledgeable people, tend to learn more quickly than others. It can also be observed that the eyes of children whose parents are avid readers, become elongated [myopic or near-sighted]. Therefore, in families where the pursuit of knowledge is vaunted and reading and studying deeply is common, the eyes of their children become elongated. This is a result of their parents’ reading habits. So children inherit their parents’ good qualities and their weaknesses. And when a child inherits some weaknesses from his parents, inevitably the result will be that they create obstacles in the race of life. It is for this reason that God Almighty has commanded us to pray:
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
‘O my Creator and my Sustainer! If there remain in me any weaknesses or traces of defects either due to my genes or from any other influence, then please save me from their effects so that I may attain Your pleasure and nearness.’ In short, this part of the verse seeks protection against those weaknesses which man inherits at birth.
In addition, قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ also indicates that man is one constituent part of all creation. That is to say, after putting all the minerals, plants, and animals together in the world, God Almighty created man, and man is rooted in all three places/sources. Man emerges as the essence of all three. If he does not draw his diet from these three sources, man ceases to exist. For instance, grapes are not composed of soil but they do grow out of the soil; if you uproot them from that soil, the grapes will no longer grow, because it is through the soil and the stem that they flourish. Without the soil, the grapes cannot survive and without the grapes the soil would be of no value.
Similarly, had it not been the case that man was the essence of plants, minerals and animals, and these resources had not [produced man], they would have all been useless and worthless. For instance, soil is useless when it does not yield melons, or when it doesn’t produce mangoes and grapes. Hence, those who think that God Almighty wishes to elevate man spiritually by depriving him from Ṭayyibāt [material things that are good, pure, lawful and wholesome] and by prohibiting him from fulfilling his innate needs, ignore the fact that Ṭayyibāt are the soil in which the plant of spirituality grows, and the soil in which it flourishes and bears spiritual fruit. Thus, this is what Islam teaches. Islam declares that man is the fruit of the essence which comes from the mixing together of plants, minerals and animals. Without them, the tree of humanity cannot thrive. And until we keep in mind that mankind’s roots are found in all these three sources – minerals, plants and animals – the tree of humanity cannot bloom. In the verses of Sūrah al-Falaq قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ our attention is drawn to this very fact: that man is one part of creation. He is not independent and separate from minerals, plants and animals. If man were independent from them he would not have been instructed to seek protection against their evil. Clearly, the words مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ warn us that these things can harm us; and that we should pray at all times to be safeguarded against their evil. We are told here that all minerals can both benefit us and harm us; all plants can both benefit us and harm us; all animals can both benefit us and harm us. And that our roots are embedded in all three of these components. Thus, we are taught to pray that if we seek progress then we should care for our mineral-, plant- and animal-based body. Until the roots are watered, the tree cannot flourish. In the same way, a person cannot reach a higher level of spirituality until he uses what is Ṭayyib [pure and wholesome] from among the minerals, plants and animals and avoids their evil properties. Similarly, some diseases of a tree are caused by its roots and some from its leaves. These verses of Sūrah al-Falaq teach us the remedy for the diseases that may afflict us from our roots. In short, we have been commanded here to seek refuge with He Who is the Creator of all creation so that we can enjoy the benefits of all of creation while also being protected from its evils, and this can only happen with the will of the One Who created these components – otherwise it would be impossible.
In the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ God Almighty draws attention every member of the Muslim Ummah [community] to another important point, which is that in the chapter preceding Sūrah al-Falaq – that is, Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ – Allah Almighty has taught us a lesson regarding the perfect and absolute oneness of God. This chapter is then followed by the declaration قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ wherein God states, ‘O you who believe in Me, My Word and My Qur’ān! Go and proclaim your faith among the people and say: أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ. In other words, it means, ‘O people! You put your trust in the world, you put your trust in your parents; you put your trust in your relatives and friends; you put your trust in your families and tribes; you put your trust in the people of your neighbourhood; your local leaders; you put your trust in your governments; you put your trust in your country’s army and your country’s teachers, who save people from ignorance, and in your country’s doctors, who help advance healthcare for the citizens of your country and who strive to protect the country from diseases. In short, you put your trust in these things, but I do not place my faith in any of these things. Rather, I declare: أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ i.e. ‘I have turned my attention away from all such things, and have devoted all my attention to Rabb al-Falaq, and in He alone do I have faith and trust.’ Although, أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ is a short sentence, he who utters it, essentially challenges the entire world and makes such a claim that, going forward, every person in the world can hold him accountable for his deeds. For instance, say a person attends a gathering and says, ‘I do not trust or care about my government, parents, siblings, friends and relatives,’ and then attends another gathering and repeats the same words, because he has been commanded, in the word Qul, to proclaim in every gathering أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ‘I have handed myself over to Rabb al-Falaq’ (‘I have taken refuge with the Creator of all creation, thus I do not put my faith in worldly means).’ Then, as per the command of Allah Almighty, he goes to a third gathering and repeats the same thing, and then goes to a fourth gathering and says it again, so that everyone becomes an overseer or guardian over his actions. If after having made such a bold claim, he turns to a revenue officer, say, or the head of a police station, or anyone else, and greets them, and asks them for help in resolving his problems, all those who had heard him proclaim: ‘I have handed myself over to Rabb al-Falaq’ and that ‘I have severed ties with worldly relations’ would humiliate him. They would declare that although he made very bold claims but when the time for action came he was unable to uphold it. By placing the word قُلْ before أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ it is as though Allah Almighty has instructed all Muslims that, once they have gained the knowledge of His Absolute Oneness, they should betake themselves to every gathering of people and make this proclamation. This is so that everyone may oversee him and his actions, and whenever they observe a discrepancy between word and action, they may shame him. One may make verbal claims of having submitted themselves to the refuge of Rabb al-Falaq, but as soon as disease touches their home, and they themselves or their wife or children fall ill, they become anxious and begin to weep. When he lands into debt, he begins to cry out of worry. If his officer is upset with him, he begins to cry from worry. When a teacher falls out with him, he begins to cry out of worry. Upon observing this, everybody would call him out for being false, saying: ‘You claimed to believe in the Absolute Oneness of Allah Almighty: you claimed not to care about anything except God Almighty. Then why does every little problem cause you worry and anxiety?
Thus, in the verses of Sūrah al-Falaq, Allah Almighty instructs the believers that if they truly have faith in their hearts, they should challenge the entire world and, indifferent to the world and its comforts, announce to all that they have taken refuge with Allah Almighty, so that if they act in a way contrary to this claim then everyone will be able to understand that they are liars; they utter one thing but do the opposite. The insertion of قُلْ before the verse أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ signifies that one ought to call the entire world as witness to this claim. It is as though man presents himself before God Almighty and says, ‘O God, I have severed my ties with everyone, and have tied my hands and feet [in total submission] and placed myself before You.’ But [it appears that] Allah Almighty tells man: ‘Do not come and say this to Me. Instead, go and say it to the rest of the world and make them bear witness that you are not concerned about anything except Allah Almighty. So that if your actions do not live up to your words, people may denounce you as a great perjurer and hypocrite. You say one thing but do another.’
By placing the word Qul here Allah Almighty explains: ‘Now that you have read the entire Holy Qur’ān, and faith has become embedded in your heart, it cannot remain concealed. Either you should disclose publicly that which you say to God – in fact, you ought to appoint people as your judge and arbiter so that if your deeds contradict your claim people may reproach you – or otherwise you must renounce your claim. I reject the claims you make privately with Me.’ Moreover, when he performs his prayers, man declares, أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ‘O my Lord! I take refuge with you.’ Allah Almighty says: ‘Your claim implies that you have severed ties with all of creation and that you have instead established a connection with God Almighty and that now you will not place your trust in your parents, siblings, friends, dear ones, relatives, nation and government. All such relations have now been severed and a relationship has been forged with God Almighty. The truth of this claim cannot be determined until you appoint people as witnesses to bear testimony to your claim. And how can someone who truly attains this rank [of Refuge with Allah] remain content until he attests this claim with his deeds?
Some people come to me requesting prayers for a certain thing and at the same time ask if it is possible for me to intercede on their behalf with so-and-so, even though seeking such kinds of recommendations from me while praying contradicts having absolute trust in Allah. In fact, in such a situation a believer’s should sink into the earth in shame because once one forges a relationship with Allah Almighty, they should not put their trust in any kings, nor in any parliament, nor in the army, nor in any government or statesmen. A believer may claim in front of the world that his hand is in God’s hand but if he then persistently pleads with someone else to help him fulfil his needs – (It is not a sin for a person to seek help from someone who owes him his due because Allah Almighty instructs man to utilize the means at his disposal, as long as he does not put his trust in them. The sin lies in the fact that one trusts solely on intercession, and is saddened when his wish is not fulfilled and he insists upon somehow getting a recommendation.) – could there be any one more deplorable than this?
Maulavī Imām-ud-Dīn, the father of Qāzī Muḥammad Ẓahūruddīn Akmal, was very fond of tasawwuf [Sufism]. Before becoming an Aḥmadī, he was a follower of the Sufis. So whenever he had the chance, he would say to me that such-and-such Sufi has claimed to have prostrated upon the ‘Arsh [the Throne of Allah]; another Sufi is said to have prostrated upon a certain level of heaven, and yet another claimed to have seen Allah Almighty while in a state of prostration. However, we do not see such phenomena in Aḥmadiyyat. I would reply by giving him numerous arguments. However, a year or six months later, he would repeat this same question that he does not find in Ahmadiyya the same phenomena that the Sufis had experienced. One day Allah Almighty inspired me with the response to his question. I asked him, ‘Do you not see that those people who prostrate upon the ‘Arsh or the heavens are lower in rank than the Promised Messiah, peace be upon him? He replied, ‘I agree that all blessings are found in Aḥmadiyyat; however, prostrating upon the ‘Arsh is very significant.’ I responded, ‘I accept that they may have prostrated upon the ‘Arsh; however, there should also be some outward evidence of their relationship with Allah Almighty; even a person does not let down an acquaintance he barely knows.I asked him,‘Have you not seen the great burdens borne by the Promised Messiah (as)? In the beginning, guests came to the Promised Messiah (as) in scores, but towards the end, there were hundreds of guests who ate from hislangar [kitchen] on a daily basis. The monthly hospitality expenses ranged from 1,500 to 2,500 rupees. However, he did not have a fixed and specific income. Indeed, the members of the Community also contributed to [the system of] chanda, but this also was not a fixed and specific income. This is the trust the Promised Messiah (as) had in God Almighty that, despite having so many expenses and having no specific means of paying them or gaining income, see how God Almighty fulfilled his needs! Was this level of trust in God Almighty demonstrated by those who prostrated on the ‘Arsh? On hearing this, Maulavī Imām-ud-Dīn began to mull this over and a little while later remarked, ‘Today I have finally understood that their claim to prostrate upon the ‘Arsh is mere deception because when harvest time came, those who “prostrated on the throne” would say to the farmers: “Do send me a share of harvest.” I responded, ‘So see, this is the difference between one who truly relies on God and one falsely claims to rely on Him.’ In any case, a true believer relies on God Almighty and proclaims publicly: أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ i.e.‘I seek refuge with Rabb-ul –Falaq’,and then he will not turn to anyone else. Rather, he believes only in God Almighty. The Promised Messiah’s (as) example is before us. He did not know whether the next day he would receive any money, yet his expenses continued. It was indeed due to the grace of Allah Almighty He prevented scarcity or hardship. Thus, a believer does not look towards people to fulfil his wishes, but he puts all his trust in Allah Almighty. Then it is left to the discretion of Allah Almighty, whether He chooses to test His servant with hunger and poverty, or with wealth and prosperity.
It is written that al-Sheikh ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jilānī (rh) would wear the highest-quality garments and eat the best food. At times, each one of his garments would cost one thousand dinar i.e. two and half to three thousand rupees [ at the time that this commentary was written]. Some ignorant people would criticize him, but he would respond by saying: ‘I wear whatever I wear by Allah Almighty’s command; I never put on any clothes until after Almighty Allah commands me: “O ʿAbd al-Qādir! Wear this garment for my sake.”‘ Thus, to trust God means to become entirely His. He says قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ i.e. ‘Go and tell the people of the world that you now belong to Allah Almighty and that you do not care about anyone else. If, due to this claim, they oppose you and harm you, then you should proclaim to them: ‘I do not care about your persecution, for I seek refuge with my Lord against it.’
The third meaning of the word al-Falaq is جَهَنَّمُ [jahannam, or hellfire]. In light of this meaning قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ implies that ‘I seek refuge with Allah, the Creator of Jahannam, and also against the great torments of this jahannam.’
In the Holy Qur’ān Allah Almighty states وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ.[1] That is, the servants of God enter jannah [paradise] both in this world and in the hereafter. Moreover, the system that God Almighty establishes at the hands of His prophets is called jannah as well, as Allah said to Prophet Ādam (peace be on him) in the Holy Qur’ān:
اُسْكُنْ أَنْتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ
That is, ‘O Ādam! Stay in the system that We have commanded you to abide in, for if you do so, this world will become a paradise for you.’ [2]
By telling this incident of Prophet Ādam (peace be on him) the Holy Qur’ān explains that the Holy Prophet (sa) is like Ādam, and that Allah Almighty also established a system at his hands that will have people enter paradise in this world and live a life of peace and security. Thus, the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ explain that ‘O Muslims! You should pray. Now that the Holy Qur’ān has been revealed the Holy Prophet (sa) been sent to you, Allah Almighty has admitted you, both individually and collectively, to paradise. [Allah says]
كُنْتُمْ عَلٰى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْھَا [3]
“You were on the brink of a pit of fire and He pulled you out and entered you into paradise.” Allah granted you peace of heart and mind. You have been united under one hand, and you have cultivated in your hearts such love and affection for one another that this world has become a paradise for you. You have found Allah Almighty and your hearts have gained peace. Thus, remember these favours and seek refuge with the Allah, the Lord of jahannam [hell]. And come under His protection so that you may be safeguarded against the torments [of jahannam] and so that its fire never comes near you. That is to say, so that a situation never arises wherein you are deprived of peace at both a personal and collective level, or that disputes and fighting break out among you or that you abandon the teachings of the Holy Qur’ān which would make this world a hell for you, and you would have to experience hellfire in the hereafter as well.’
The fourth meaning of al-Falaq is a valley between two mountains. Some nations incline towards one extreme, whereas others go to the opposite extreme. However, the path between two extremes is the true means of attaining Allah Almighty and establishing peace and security in the world. It is for this reason that Allah Almighty refers to the Muslims as the Ummah of Moderation. That is, their teachings do not contain either one extreme or the other. And such a teaching is the best teaching and will bring about peace in the world. Thus, Allah states: قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ, that is, ‘O Muslims! Say: We seek refuge with the Lord Who created the beautiful valley of Islam between the two mountains of extremes, where the world can find comfort and peace.’ In other words, these verses signify that you should seek refuge with the One Who revealed a most glorious religion like that of Islam and Who also commissioned a perfect man like the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa) through whom you found the perfect teaching of the Qur’ān. Seek refuge with Allah Almighty lest some sort of evil comes upon you. That is to say, [seek refuge] lest there comes a time when you are overcome by an evil which then causes you to deviate from the most sublime teachings of Allah Almighty, and you leave Islam, and turn away and become indifferent to the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (sa). By doing this you will be embroiled in difficulties and your life will become challenging for you. أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ also indicates that moderation is the correct means of drawing beneficence from Allah Almighty’s Rubūbiyyah [divine providence] and of reaching Him. Man cannot reach Allah Almighty either by pursuing the path of one extreme nor by going down the path of the opposite extreme.
But indeed, if man adopts the path of moderation, he is able to reach God Almighty; however, there are many obstacles in reaching Him, and in truth every particle in the world is an obstacle to man reaching Him. Often those who fail do so because they think they have removed obstacle x and y, but the truth is that there are many other obstacles, too, which one’s mind cannot even conceive. Successful is he who realises that every particle of the world pulls him towards itself. He becomes wary of his wife, children, teachers, students, wealth, property, status, dignity, deeds and the lack thereof – in other words, he becomes wary of everything. Because sometimes man is deprived because of a certain deed he has committed; at other times, because of an action he hasn’t performed,and at others, due to his knowledge; and sometimes due to his ignorance.
Thus, he who truly desires to succeed falls in prostration before Allah Almighty and declares أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ. ‘O God! I do not know where these obstacles and destruction are comingfromin my way, therefore, Oh God, Creator of all things, safeguard me against their evil because only You have full knowledge about [the true nature of] their evil.’ This is the first step to success. That is, man is cautious of each and every particle, so much so that he is afraid even of his own self and seeks protection from its evil. Furthermore, not only is a believer heedful of his faith lest arrogance arise in his heart, resulting in his ruin, but he is also fearful of attaining nearness to Allah because this can also at times become a means of ruining a person, as was the case with Bal‘am Bāʿūrā [4]. The Holy Prophet (sa) turns our attention to this danger in the words:
لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ
This means, ‘We do not know whether or not misfortune or ruin will befall us on the path we are taking to reach you. This is why You alone are the means of our salvation, so take us under Your protection.’ In short, the words مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَexplain to us that man should fear every particle of the universe, and because he does not know what might become a means of ruining him, therefore, one must seek refuge with the God Who has created all of these things.
The fifth meaning of al-Falaq is a wooden apparatus that stands criminals up in rows. In light of these meanings, the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ signify: ‘I seek refuge with the Master of prisons that it not be the case that I am imprisoned and made to endure its difficulties and hardships.’
Thus, we are taught here a prayer both on the communal level and individually, which is that we must pray that our people are prevented from fighting amongst themselves and from suffering the hardship caused by casting one another into prison cells. Or let it not be that a hostile power arises against the Muslims and destroys the Islamic government, which leads to their being imprisoned, thus bringing to an end an era of peace for the Muslims.
Similarly, on an individual level we are instructed to pray that we not say something, either intentionally or unintentionally, as a consequence of which we should have to face the hardship of prison and captivity. Man can be saved from such hardship only by the God Who governs the hearts of all, and Who is the True Ruler, so that even if such a time comes, Allah Almighty may change the captors’ hearts and instead of being harsh they will treat you with gentleness.
The sixth meaning of al-Falaq is the remnant of milk that remains at the end of a cup after drinking. In light of these meanings, the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ signify: ‘O God! You have bestowed upon me such a perfect teaching through the Holy Qur’ān that can be likened to a cup filled with milk. Do not let it be that due to my weaknesses, at some point I am left only with a small portion of that [perfect] teaching, and that I consequently become spiritually poor after enjoying spiritual wealth. It states in the ḥadīth that during the night of the Mʿirāj [in which the Holy Prophet (sa) spritually ascended to heaven], the Holy Prophet (sa) was presented with milk, water and wine. The Holy Prophet (sa) chose the milk. Upon this Gabriel (as) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Had you chosen the water or wine, your Ummah [the Muslims] would have been destroyed. By choosing the milk, you have acted according to the purest form of human nature. Thus, milk refers to the teachings of the Holy Qur’ān which are in accord with human nature. Therefore, it is stated in: قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ that the Muslims should pray that Allah Almighty enables them to fully act upon the teachings of the Holy Qur’ān and that they continue safeguarding this teaching, lest some time in the future, they abandon its practice and become like one who is left with the remnants of milk. In this world, when one becomes poor after being wealthy, he suffers much anguish and life becomes intolerable for him. Therefore, even on an individual level, the prayer taught here is, ‘O God, let it not be that one is deprived of divine favours, and of the means by which one lives a life of peace and security, which would make the days of one’s life harder to endure.’
It indicates further that it should not be the case that the Muslims who are prosperous because of Islam’s triumph, should then face hardship and that at some point, due to the collapse of a Muslim government they are left to wither away in pain and anguish. And if such a time does come upon the Muslims, then may Allah Almighty Himself come to their aid and create the provisions once again so that the Muslims’ state of weakness transforms into strength and the days of weakness change into days of glory.
The seventh meaning of al-Falaq is الأنهارُ [al-Anhar – rivers], and Rabb al-Falaq signifies ‘the Lord of the rivers.’ Considering this, the prayer taught in the words قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ * مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ is ‘Say, I seek refuge with the Lord, the Creator of Rivers, lest I and my people are inflicted by difficulty because of them.’
It is clear that lands are well-irrigated through the rivers and mankind’s sustenance depends on them. If water flows into the rivers the way it should, and the rivers are channelled into canals which irrigate the land, they are beneficial to the country. But if the rivers overflow, then not only are the crops destroyed, but people also die through drowning. Thus, rivers are extremely beneficial and our lives depend upon them. However, when their harmful aspects manifest, these rivers, instead of being life-giving, become a means of ending life. In fact, such is the case with everything in the world; it has both benefit and harm. So Allah Almighty has explained that Muslims should continue to pray so that whatever Allah Almighty has bestowed on them – both in the material and spiritual sense – benefits them and that Allah Almighty Himself continues to protect them against its harms. Let it not be that their deep understanding of religion makes them arrogant and that they begin looking with contempt upon others. They should not think that what they have received through Allah Almighty is a result of their own capabilities.
ENDNOTES
[1] The Holy Qur’an, 55:47.
[2] The Holy Qur’an, 2:36.
[3] The Holy Qur’an, 3:104.
[4] It is related that Bal‘am Bāʿūrā was a virtuous man who lived in the time of Moses (as), but pride turned his head and he ended in disgrace. In chapter 7, verse 177 of the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Almighty describes him as follows: ‘And if We had pleased, We could have exalted him thereby; but he inclined to the earth and followed his evil inclination’.
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