Surat al-Nas is the last chapter (114) of the Glorious
Qur’an revealed on the heart of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), whose
strength cannot be gauged by human beings. Allah
says in Surat al-Hashr Ayah 21, “Had We sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain,
you would have surely seen it humbled (and) go to pieces with the fear of
Allah. We draw such comparisons for mankind, so that they may reflect.” This
Surat commands the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) as a leader and as an example
to seek refuge with Allah from the evil of any temptations. In a tradition
from the Infallible Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.), it is said, “He who recites Surat
Falaq, Nas and Ikhlas in Watr prayer, he will be told, ’O servant of Allah,
rejoice that Allah accepts your Watr prayer.”
The literal English translation is given here under:
In the Name of Allah, the
All-beneficent, the All-merciful
Say, ‘I seek the protection of the Lord of
humans,
Sovereign of humans, God of humans,
From
the evil of the sneaky tempter
Who
puts temptations into the breasts of humans,
From
among the jinn and humans.’
The meaning of these Ayahs is, ‘Say, I take refuge with
Allah from the devilish tempter who runs away and hides himself from the name
of Allah.’
Surat al-Nas is supplementary to the Surat al-Falaq. We all
have different types of thoughts some positive some negative. Negative thoughts
are more devastating to our religiosity and “Iman” than external danger. The
Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, ‘An angel blows positive thoughts in a
believer’s ear and the tempter blows evil.’
In Surat al Falaq, the one who envies suffers as the
Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “Envy destroys faith as fire eats
up the wood.” The first person who claimed himself to be the “Lord”, “Sovereign”
and “God” was Pharaoh (Fir’aun) as explained in Surat al-Nazi ‘at Ayah 24,
“saying, ‘I am your exalted Lord!” Surat al-Zukhruf Ayah 51, “And Pharaoh
proclaimed amongst his people. He said, ‘O my people! Does not the Kingdom of
Egypt belong to me.” Surat al-Qasas Ayah 38, “Pharaoh said, ‘O (members of the)
elite! I do not know of any god that you may have other than me…” It is
worth noting that Allah used the word” breasts” and not “hearts”. Shaitan does
not enter our hearts but is limited to the breasts. It is our prerogative to
either throw him out or let him enter our hearts. It is said, “The heart of
a momin is like the Arsh of Rahman.” Shaitan
or his group attacks us, they are from Jinn and or human beings. Human beings include
all and every Shaitani images, voices.
Human beings easily puts all blames on Shaitan while Shaitan
categorically disclaims any control except that he invited us and we responded,
as explained in Surat al-Ibrahim Ayah 22, “When the matter is all over,
Shaitan will say, ‘Indeed Allah made you a promise that was true and I (too)
made you a promise , but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that
I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me but blame yourselves.”
The best protection for mankind is to recite the two Surats
of Falaq and Nas. Of course, it should not be just recital but should be
accomplished by thoughts, faith, and actions; should avoid devilish routs,
devilish programs, devilish minds and communications, devilish societies, and
meetings.
Sources: An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the
Holy Qur’an
The Glorious Qur’an (English Translation) by
Ali Quli Qara’i
Tafsir-e-Namounah by Ayatollah Nasir Makarem
Shirazi
Tafsir by Dr. Ammar Naqshwani
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