• Surah al-Fatihah: The Best Cure

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ ، اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ.

    (1x)

    In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. All praises and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, The All-Merciful, The Very Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. You Alone we worship, You Alone we ask for help. Guide us on the Straight Path, the path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who incur (Your) anger nor of those who have gone astray. (1:1-7)

    Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm Alḥamdu-lillāhi Rabbi-l-ʿālamīn, ar-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm, Māliki yawmi-d-dīn, iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn, ihdina-ṣ-Ṣirāṭa-l-Mustaqīm, ṣirāṭa-ladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri-l-maghḍūbi ʿālayhim wala-ḍ-ḍāllīn.

    The hadīth mentions: “The man went with them (the people of the tribe) and started spitting (on the bite) and reciting Sūrah al-Fātihah until the patient was healed and started walking as if he had not been sick.” (Bukhārī)

    It was narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ described Sūrah al-Fātihah as a ruqyah, and he approved of the Sahābī (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who recited it as a ruqyah for the one who had been stung by a scorpion. (Bukhārī)

    Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) said: ‘If one’s faith, soul, and spirit are strong, and if he internalises the meaning and essence of Sūrah al-Fātihah, recites it and then blows on the affected person followed by his spittle, this will counter the effects incurred by evil beings. And Allah knows best.’ (Zād al-Maʿād)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Ayat al-Kursi: The Greatest Protection From Evil Jinn

    أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ. اَللّٰهُ لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ ، لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَّلَا نَوْمٌ ، لَهُ مَا فِى السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ ، مَنْ ذَا الَّذِىْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ، يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيْهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ، وَلَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ، وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، وَلَا يَئُوْدُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ، وَهُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيْمُ.

    (1x)

    I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Shayṭān. Allah, there is no god worthy of worship but He, the Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation does not tire Him. And He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (2:255)

    Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi mina-sh-Shayṭāni-r-rajīm. Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa-l-Ḥayyu-l-Qayyūm, lā ta’khudhuhū sinatuw-wa lā nawm, lahū mā fi-s-samāwāti wa mā fi-l-arḍ, man dhā’lladhī yashfaʿu ʿindahū illā bi-idhnih, yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wa mā khalfahum, wa lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shay’im-min ʿilmihī illā bi-mā shā’, wasiʿa kursiyyuhu-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ, wa lā ya’ūduhū ḥifẓuhumā wa Huwa-l-ʿAlliyu-l-ʿAẓīm.

    The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “In Sūrah al-Baqarah, there is a verse which is the best verse of the Qur’ān. It is never recited in a house except that the Shaytān leaves: it is Āyat al-Kursī.” (Hākim)

    Ubayy b. Kaʿb (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reported that he had a vessel in which he kept dates. He found that its quantity was decreasing. So he kept guard on it one night and saw a creature that resembled an adolescent boy. Ubayy greeted him and he returned his greeting. Ubayy then asked him, “What are you, a jinnī or a human?” He replied, “A jinnī.” So he said to him, “Show me your hand.” So he showed him his hand, and it looked like a dog’s paw with dog’s fur. He said, “This is how the jinn are created. The jinn know that there is no one amongst them who is stronger than me.”

    Ubayy asked him, “What caused you to do what you did?” He replied, “We heard that you are a man who loves charity, and we came to take our share from your food.’” Ubayy asked him, “**What will protect us from you**?” He replied, “**Reading Āyah al-Kursī from Sūrah al-Baqarah [i.e. the verse above]. If you read it in the morning, you will be protected from us till the evening. And if you read it in the evening, you will be protected from us till the morning**.”

    Ubayy said: “The following morning, I went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and told him about what had happened. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “**The evil one spoke the truth.**” (Ḥākim 2108)

    Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reports: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ put me in charge of watching over the donations of food collected at the end of Ramadhān. Then someone came and snatched some food, and I grabbed him. He said: ‘Let me go. I shall do it no more…’” And he went on to recount the hadīth, saying: “The third time he said to me: ‘I shall teach you some words by which Allah will benefit you. When you lie down in your bed, recite Āyah al-Kursī from beginning to end; a guardian angel will stay by you and no devil will approach you, until you wake up in the morning.’ I tried his method, and when I awoke in the morning, I told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ what he had said, and he ﷺ said to me: ‘Even though he is a liar, he spoke the truth. Do you know who you were talking to Abū Hurayrah?’ I said: ‘No.’ He ﷺ said: ‘That was Shaytān.’” (Bukhārī)

    **Brief Commentary**
    • Āyah al-Kursī begins with ‘Allah’. According to many scholars, ‘Allah’ is the Greatest Name of Allah, and is the most frequently mentioned Name in the Qur’ān, appearing over 2,500 times.
    • ‘Allah’ refers to **the One who is adored and worshipped**. Thus, the āyah begins by establishing the greatest truth: that Allah is the sole being that deserves to be worshipped.
    • It then describes Allah as the “**Ever Living (al-Ḥayy)**”: The one who has all the attributes of life in the most complete form e.g. hearing, seeing, knowing, power etc. Al-Ḥayy is the one who will never die, and nor is He touched by even the ‘smaller death’ (sleep). His life is absolutely perfect, and He alone gives life.
    • Since He alone is the absolute source of life, and possesses the attributes of perfect life, it only makes sense that He alone is “**The Sustainer of all** (al-Qayyūm)”. Al-Qayyūm is the one who maintains all; but needs none to maintain Him. Everything within the heavens and the earth is dependent on Allah and needs Him to sustain and manage their existence. He, however, is completely Self-Sustaining, and independent of any of His creation.
    • Whoever needs to sleep will always be deficient in maintaining and sustaining the affairs of His subjects. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep” (Muslim). Not only does Allah not sleep, he does not even feel drowsy: ‘**Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep**.’ This is also very comforting, as we do not need to worry about the heavens and planets falling on us, or to worry that He may be unavailable when we may need Him.
    • ‘**To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth**’:  Allah is the Master and Owner of all. He is the Owner and King of everything in the heavens and the earth. **Nothing happens in this world except that Allah has willed it**. Everything is subject to His will and decree. We are only custodians of what we have been given, not the true owners. Once we firmly believe that what we own is only a loan from Allah for a limited time, we will feel content and humble. We will empty our hearts from greed and stop chasing worldly pleasures. Whether we are tested with wealth or poverty, our hearts will remain attached to the True Owner of the heavens and the earth: Allah. This part of the verse also grants believers solace, as they know who to turn to for all their needs.
    • After mentioning His ownership and complete dominion, Allah says, ‘**Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission?**’ This further explains Allah’s oneness and uniqueness. No one even comes close to sharing His power and will. Only those He will give permission to on the Day of Judgement (such as our beloved Messenger ﷺ) will be allowed to intercede.
    • ‘**He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills**’: Allah’s knowledge is not just limited to the present. It also encompasses the past, and extends to the future.
    This belief should fill our hearts with awe and fear, as everything we do is within Allah’s knowledge. Likewise, it should make us content with our decree, as it was decreed by the One Who knows how things will develop in the future.
    • All the technological advancements that we see now are only due to Allah granting us the permission to encompass this knowledge. Thus, we should always remain humble, and thankful to Allah.
    • We are then introduced to one of Allah’s greatest creations, allowing us to ponder on Allah’s greatness: ‘**His Kursī (footstool) extends over the heavens and the earth**’: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The seven heavens in comparison to the Kursī is nothing but like a ring thrown in a desert, and the excellence of the Throne of Allah over the Kursī is like the excellence of that desert over that ring.” (Bayhaqī)
    • If the Throne of Allah is this great, and Allah Has created it and is bigger than His creation, then how great is Allah!
    • By knowing this, it is then no surprise that ‘**their preservation tires Him not**’ as the heavens and the earth are insignificant in size to Him. Allah cares for and provides sustenance to billions of beasts and creatures: those that crawl in the land, those that swim in the ocean, and those that fly in the sky. And yet, He never becomes tired.
    • The ending ‘**And He is the Most High, the Magnificent**’ perfectly summarises the verse, as the whole verse is describing the greatness of Allah. These are two of the majestic Names of Allah. Allah is Great in Himself. All of His Names and Attributes are great and most perfect. Allah is Great in His might, and Great in His knowledge. Everything that He does is Great. Allah is far, far above any weakness or defect. No one can overpower Him, and He is Greater than anything we can imagine.
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    **Benefits & Action Points**
    *The Greatest Ayah*
    • The main theme of all of the morning and evening adhkār is **tawḥīd** (the Oneness of Allah), and at the forefront is Āyah al-Kursī.
    • Āyah al-Kursī is the greatest verse of the Qur’ān. This is because the verse beautifully describes who Allah is. **The most majestic verses in the Qur’ān are the verses that talk about Allah**, as there is no topic of discussion which is more grandiose, more majestic and more beautiful than Allah (ʿazza wa jall). The āyah starts off with one word ‘Allah’; and then goes on to mention 20+ of Allah’s Names and Attributes.
    • Āyah al-Kursī is a gift to us from Allah, our Creator and Master. We were created to worship and know Allah; and in just a few lines He has perfectly summarised to us who He is, including His Greatness, His Power, His Knowledge, His Kingdom, and **ultimately His Oneness**. There is nothing on earth that will teach us about Allah better than this āyah.
    • lbn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes, “By Allah, if an intelligent believer recited Sūrah al-Hadīd, the end of Sūrah al-Hashr, Ayah al-Kursī, and Surah al-Ikhlās with **deep thought** and **contemplation**, his heart would burst open out of the awe (of Allah), and he would be baffled by His Greatness.”
    • Āyah al-Kursī contains the **Greatest Names of Allah** (al-Ḥayy and al-Qayyūm), as mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ (Abū Dāwūd). When we ask Allah by these Names, our duʿas are accepted.
    • Āyah al-Kursī has a tongue and two lips that glorify Allah at the leg of the Allah’s Throne (as reported in Aḥmad).
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    **Recite it 8x a Day**
    • Memorise this verse and recite it every day. It is sunnah to recite Āyah al-Kursī every day:
    1) **Before sleeping**: “When you lie down in your bed, recite Āyah al-Kursī from beginning to end; a guardian angel will stay by you and no devil will approach you, until you wake up in the morning” (Bukhārī).
    2) **After every farḍ prayer**: “Whoever reads [Āyah al-Kursī] after every obligatory prayer, there is nothing that will prevent him from entering Paradise except death” (Nasā’ī).
    3) **In the morning and evening**: “Reading Āyah al-Kursī from Sūrah al-Baqarah. If you read it in the morning, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the evening. And if you read it in the evening, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the morning” (Ḥākim).
    • By reading this verse a multiple number of times daily, we refresh our knowledge of Allah, renew our īmān in Him, and affirm His Oneness.
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    **A Powerful Source of Protection**
    • A great portion of the morning and evening duʿās revolve around asking Allah for protection. By starting off the adhkār with Āyah al-Kursī, we begin to appreciate the **greatness of Allah**. This should help us to be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the adhkār.
    • Āyah al-Kursī is one of the strongest means of protection from the devils. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “In Sūrah al-Baqarah, there is a verse which is the best verse of the Qur’ān. **It is never recited in a house except that the Shaytān leaves**: it is Āyah al-Kursī” (Ḥākim).
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    **Living by Āyat al-Kursī**
    • By knowing that the entire universe belongs to Allah and that He possesses the ultimate power and knowledge, we **rely** only on Him. Knowing that He always takes care of us and is the Perfect Manager of the entire creation makes us **love** Him and place our **hope** in Him.
    • Since He is the Magnificent, we are in **awe** of Him and always **humble** ourselves to Him. He is the Only one who possesses all of these unique attributes, so we **submit** ourselves to Him and **worship Him** Alone.

  • Last Two Verses of Surah al-Baqarah: A Shaytan-Free Home

    أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ. اٰمَنَ الرَّسُوْلُ بِمَآ أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ ، كُلٌّ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ، لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْ رُّسُلِهِ ، وَقَالُوْا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ. لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ، لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ، رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِنْ نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ، رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ، وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ، أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِيْنَ.

    (1x)

    I seek the protection of Allah from the accursed Shayṭān. The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah, His angels, His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His Messengers.” And they say, “We hear and we obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the final destination.” Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (2:285-6)

    Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi mina-sh-Shayṭāni-r-rajīm. Āmana-r-rasūlu bimā unzila ilayhi mi-r-rabbihī wa-l-mu’minūn, kullun āmana bi-l-llāhi wa malā’ikatihī wa kutubihī wa rusulih, lā nufarriqu bayna aḥadim-mi-r-rusulih, wa qālū samiʿnā wa aṭaʿnā ghufrānaka Rabbanā wa ilayka-l-maṣīr. Lā yukallifu-l-llāhu nafsan illā wusʿahā, lahā mā kasabat wa ʿalayhā ma-ktasbat, Rabbanā lā tuākhidhnā in-nasīnā aw akhṭa’nā, Rabbanā walā taḥmil ʿalaynā iṣran kamā ḥamaltahū ʿala-l-ladhīna min qablinā, Rabbanā wa lā tuḥammilnā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bih, waʿfu ʿannā wa-ghfir lanā wa-rḥamnā, Anta Mawlānā fa-nṣurnā ʿala-l-qawmi-l-kāfirīn.

    The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah inscribed a book 2,000 years before He created the heavens and the earth, from which the last two verses of Sūrah al-Baqarah were revealed. If they are recited for three nights, no shaytān will remain in the house.” (Tirmidhī)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Muʿawwidhat: Best Words to Seek Allah’s Protection

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ. قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ ، اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ، لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ.

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ. قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ.

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ. قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ، مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ، إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ، اَلَّذِيْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِيْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ ، مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ.

    (1x)

    In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, He is Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal. (112) In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, I seek protection of the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of the darkening night when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of the envier when he envies. (113) In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. Say, I seek protection of the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, who whispers in the hearts of mankind, whether they be Jinn or people. (114)

    Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul Huwa-llāhu Aḥad. Allāhu-ṣ-Ṣamad. Lam yalid wa lam yūlad. Wa lam yakul-lahū kufuwan aḥad. Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul aʿūdhu bi Rabbi-l-falaq. Min sharri mā khalaq. Wa min sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqab. Wa min sharri-n-naffāthāti fi-l-ʿuqad. Wa min sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasad. Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Qul aʿūdhu bi rabbi-n-nās. Maliki-n-nās. Ilāh-hin-nās. Min sharri-l-waswāsi-l-khannās. Al-ladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri-n-nās. Mina-l-jinnati wa-n-nās.

    ‘Ā’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) narrated that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would become sick, he would recite [the above] and then blow his breath over his body. She says: “During his last illness from which he passed away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to blow over himself. But when his sickness intensified, I used to (recite and then) blow over him using his own hands because of their blessings.” (Bukhārī) ‘Uqbah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Shall I inform you of the best words with which you can seek Allah’s protection?” I said: “Yes.” He ﷺ said: “Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās.” (Ahmad)

    ‘These Sūrahs are extremely effective in repelling magic, evil eye, and the rest of the evils…The need for a slave to seek Allah’s protection with these Sūrahs is greater than his need for eating, drinking and clothes.’ (Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh))
    **Brief Commentary (Surah al-Ikhlas)**
    • Sūrah al-Ikhlās is a perfect summary and description of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā).
    • **“Allah”** is the One who is adored and worshipped. The Name ‘Allah’ includes all of His majestic and beautiful qualities and attributes.
    • The Sūrah begins by affirming that Allah is **“One”**. He is Unique in His Perfection, in His Most Beautiful Names and Perfect Lofty Attributes, and He is Unique in His Perfect Deeds. There is nothing like Him.
    • The Arabic word used in the Sūrah to affirm that Allah is **“One”** (Aḥad) also carries the meaning of “only” i.e. His oneness is unique, and there is none like Him.
    • In the next verse, Allah describes Himself as “al-Ṣamad”. Al-Ṣamad is the Perfect Master, the One who the whole creation turns to for the fulfilment of their needs. He needs no one, but everyone needs Him, and are fully dependent on Him. He is Perfect in His knowledge, mercy, wisdom, power, honour and glory. Since He is perfect, He doesn’t need anyone, as nothing they can do can benefit or harm Him. He does not feel hunger nor thirst. He is the Everlasting who will never perish. To Him and Him alone are all prayers and supplications addressed. He and only He decides everything independently, and no one shares His authority.
    • The people of Quraysh wanted to know the lineage of Allah, so He clarified to them in this Sūrah that **“He has not given birth and was not born”** i.e. He does not have a parent or child. When one has a parent, this shows they needed someone to cause them to be brought into existence. And when one has a child, this shows they need someone to assist them or to carry their lineage, and that this person is similar to His father. Since all of these points contradict the quality of Allah being “**al-Ṣamad**”, it is only befitting that Allah is free from them.
    • Anything that is born is ‘dependent’. And anything which is ‘dependent’ cannot be divine, and therefore does not deserve to be worshipped.
    • “**And to whom no one is equal**”: This last verse is a summary of the previous verses in that there is none like Allah, and that He has the most perfect and complete attributes. No one resembles Him in anything or is equivalent to Him in any respect.
    ` `
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    **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Ikhlas)**
    • We recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ (for the morning and evening adhkar) first because we praise Allah through it. Similar to when making duʿā’, we praise Allah first and then make our requests. Here, we are praising Allah through Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, and then following up with the next two Sūrahs (**al Mu’awwidhatayn**), which consist of requests. Similarly, by starting off with Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we develop certainty (yaqīn) that Allah is truly the only One who can help us.
    • This Sūrah outlines, in the clearest of terms, the principal and most fundamental ideas of the great truth of Islam: **The Oneness of Allah**.
    • This Sūrah covers some of the most fundamental points of Islamic creed. It counters all false claims and allegations made by humans across the centuries in relation to knowing Allah, despite its brevity.
    • The 1st verse affirms Allah’s Oneness. The 2nd verse affirms His Perfection. The 3rd verse affirms His being Eternal, without a beginning or end, negating any parents or children. And the last verse affirms His Greatness and Uniqueness, negating any rivals or companions.
    • This Sūrah is about the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah. When we understand that Allah Alone possesses these qualities, it only makes sense that we worship Him Alone. We love Him above everyone and everything else, we only fear Him, and we submit to Him.
    • When we free ourselves from believing in anything but Allah, and uphold this everlasting truth, we begin to enjoy freedom from all shackles, false ideas, evil desires, fears and confusions of any sort.
    • As with Āyat al-Kursī, this Sūrah deals with the greatness of Allah. It is included in the morning and evening adhkār to stir appreciation for the greatness of Allah, thereby helping the person be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the duʿās.
    • This Sūrah affirms that we are all in need of Allah, and that He can fulfill all of our needs. Reflect over this when reciting this Sūrah to set yourself in the right frame of mind for making the subsequent adhkār.
    ` `
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    **Virtues of Surah al-Ikhlas**
    • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is equivalent to one third of the Qur’ān. Whoever recites it ten times, Allah will build a palace for him in Paradise.
    • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ leads to Paradise. There was a Companion (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who would lead the prayer and would always recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ in every rakʿah of ṣalāh, and then follow it up with reciting from elsewhere.  When the Messenger ﷺ asked him why he did this, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed I love it.” He ﷺ said, “Your love for it will admit you into Paradise” (Tirmidhī).
    • Another companion did something similar. When the Messenger ﷺ told his companions to ask him why he did this, he replied, “**Because it is the description of al-Raḥmān, and I love to recite it**.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Inform him that Allah loves him.”
    • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ also contains the Greatest Names of Allah (ism Allah al-Aʿẓam). Buraydah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard a man saying:
    **اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّيْ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِيْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
    ***“O Allah, I ask You as I bear witness that You are Allah, there is no god but You, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal.” *
    The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked: “By the One in Whose Hand is my life, He has certainly asked Allah with His Greatest Name; when He is supplicated by it, He responds, and when asked, He gives” (Tirmidhī).
    ` `
    ` `
    **Brief Commentary (Surah al-Falaq)**
    • “**I seek protection**”: Istiʿādhah (seeking protection) is an act of the heart. When seeking protection with Allah, we are: (1) throwing ourselves in front of Him, displaying our need of Him, and (2) submitting and humbling ourselves in front of Him. Istiʿādhah is an acknowledgment of Allah’s ultimate power, and the human being’s weakness and inability to combat evil by himself.
    • We seek protection from the “**Lord (Rabb)** of the daybreak.” Rabb is a special Name of Allah which fills our hearts with gratitude, love and comfort. Rabb is the One who nurtures, nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. He is The Owner, The Master, The Creator and Provider. Rabb is the one who regulates our affairs, protecting us and granting us endless blessings.
    • ‘**Daybreak**’ is when darkness departs, and daylight overcomes. Daylight, which represents the beginning of the day, pushes the evil elements of the night away. The filthy, the criminals and the debased return to their hideouts.
    • By reminding ourselves that Allah is the Lord of the daybreak, who erases and replaces darkness with daylight, He too can erase the difficulties in our lives and bring us ease.
    • We seek refuge from four things in this sūrah:
    • (1) We seek refuge in Allah “**from the evil of what He has created**”. We remind ourselves that this harm is within the creation of Allah, and therefore we feel at peace knowing that Allah is able to protect us from it as it is under His authority.
    • Nothing falls outside the creation of Allah, so we have sought refuge from all forms of evil.
    • 2) After seeking refuge from general evil, we seek refuge from a specific evil: “**from the evil of the darkening night when it settles**”. At night, the devils spread and are more active. The night provides cover in which evil forces can operate without being detected (e.g. thieves), and one is more likely to be attacked by harmful animals. Moreover, when you are alone at night, anxieties and worries can deepen, leading to insomnia and paranoia.
    • 3) Then we seek refuge in Allah from those “**who blow on knots**” i.e. magic. Instead of fearing magicians, we should seek protection in Allah through this powerful Sūrah.
    • This verse is linked to the next verse. The root cause of why people do magic is envy.
    • 4) The last thing we seek refuge in Allah from in this Sūrah is the envy of others, including the evil eye, which something that can have an adverse effect on us.
    • This also remind us that we shouldn’t be envious of others or wish evil for them.
    ` `
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    **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Falaq)**
    • When we seek Allah’s protection (istiʿādhah), we kill our own ego, and instead express our servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) to Allah and express our dire need of Him.
    • This Sūrah, along with Sūrah al-Nās contain a command from Allah, to take refuge in Him and seek His protection in the face of any source of fear, subtle or apparent, known or unknown. It is as if Allah is kindly and affectionately calling on His servants to resort to His care through which they will feel safe and at peace.
    • When you say you seek refuge in Allah, think about the state of refugees around the world: They leave the worst behind them to seek refuge elsewhere as they believe this place will save them from their current state. This is how we should feel when we seek refuge in Allah; that we are doomed without His refuge and cannot live without it.
    • When we recited Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we referred to Allah as ‘al-Ṣamad’: the One whom we all depend on; this Sūrah teaches us **how** to depend on Him.
    • In this Sūrah, we seek refuge in Allah from **external** sources of harm, such as the devils and the envy of others. In Sūrah al-Nās, we seek refuge in Allah from **internal** sources of harm. These two surahs together therefore are a formidable form of protection against all harm.
    • Always recite this Sūrah with complete conviction in the protection that Allah can give you so that you can benefit the most from it.
    • Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) writes, ‘The most beneficial cure for magic is what Allah ﷻ revealed to His Messenger ﷺ as a cure: Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “No seeker has sought protection with anything like them”’ (Abū Dāwūd).
    • Envy is a destructive trait. Learn how to protect yourself from this disease.
    • This Sūrah highlights the evil of envy and the harm it incurs. This harm reaches the victim by way of the envier’s evil self and sight, despite never having used his hands or tongue. Evil eye is a form of envy. The evil effect takes place when it is intentionally addressed through one’s eyes staring at the person envied. But the intensity of this effect differs according to the weakness of the victim and the power of the evil jealous self.
    • Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The evil eye is an arrow, shot by the one who is jealous, hitting (the victim) sometimes and missing it sometimes. So, if the victim is uncovered and without the protection (of the adhkār), then he definitely will be affected by it. But if the victim is taking precaution (through the adhkār), then it will not affect him; rather it may happen that this arrow is returned back to the envier.”
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    **The Virtues**
    • The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you not see that there have been verses revealed to me tonight the like of which has not been seen before. They are (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās).” (Muslim)
    • **Best Ruqyah**: ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) narrated that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would become sick, he would recite [the last 3 Sūrahs of the Qur’ān] and then blow over his body. She says: “During his last illness from which he passed away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to blow over himself. But when his sickness intensified, I used to (recite and then) blow on him (with these Sūrahs), and I would wipe his own hand (over him) because of its blessing” (Bukhārī). In another hadīth, she mentions that whenever anyone from his family would become ill, he ﷺ would blow over them with these three Sūrahs. (Muslim)
    • **Best Protection**: Sūrah al-Nās and Sūrah al-Falaq are the best protection against envy, evil eye and the devils. Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek refuge in Allah from the jinn and the human evil eye until the Muʿawwidhatayn (Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās) were revealed. When they were revealed, he adopted them and abandoned everything else” (Tirmidhī). He ﷺ also said, “Shall I inform you of the best words with which you can seek Allah’s protection?” I said: “Yes.” He ﷺ said, “Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās.” (Aḥmad)
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    **Brief Commentary (Surah al-Nas)**
    • “**Lord of mankind**” is how Allah foremostly describes Himself. He is the Rabb, the One who creates, and then nurtures and protects all of us. He looks after our every affair. This verse affirms the Oneness of Allah through His Lordship.
    • “**King of mankind**” is an attribute of Allah that follows on from Him being the Lord. He looks after all of our affairs, and this can only be done if He has full control and ownership over us.
    • As Allah is the Lord and the King of mankind, it only makes sense that He alone is worshipped and is the True God: **“God of mankind”**. This verse therefore affirms the Oneness of Allah in terms of His [deserving of] worship.
    • After praising Allah with three of His Attributes and affirming His true Oneness, we seek refuge from “**the evil of the retreating whisperer**” i.e. Shayṭān.
    • Shayṭān is described as “**the retreating whisperer**”. This is because when a person is weak and forgets Allah, Shayṭān constantly whispers evil in his ear. However, when a person becomes strong and remembers Allah, Shayṭān hastily retreats, and is prevented from influencing him.
    • The last verse in this surah clarifies that the ‘Shayṭān’ who leads us to evil is not always from the jinn, but can be from human ‘shayāṭīn’ (devils). They could be evil friends, the musicians we listen to, the celebrities we idolise and the media we consume.
    ` `
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    **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Nas)**
    • In this Sūrah, refuge is sought in the Lord, King and God of mankind from the sneaky whisperer, jinn or human, who prompts evil ideas in people’s minds. The mind on its own cannot shut out this invisible evil. It needs Allah, and the Sūrah tells us why it is only Allah who is able to do this: He is the Lord, who preserves, directs, cherishes and protects mankind. He is the King who owns, governs and independently runs the world. He is the God, the only True Being who deserves to be worshipped.
    • Since Shayṭān knows that the heart is the essence of the person, he tries to constantly attack it with whispers, tempt him with desires, and glamourise for him evil words and actions. The only way we can be protected from his evil plots is through asking Allah for help and clinging on to Him.
    • Allah gave Shayṭān the ability to affect and have direct contact with our hearts. Since this sneaking whisperer operates secretly and constantly suggests evil, we need to be more alert in order to confront it. The best way to confront it and make it ‘retreat’ is through the remembrance of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ quoting Prophet Yaḥyā (ʿalayhis-salām) said: “I command you to remember Allah. Verily, the parable of that is a man who goes forth while his enemies are fast upon him, and then he comes to a safe fortress, where he protects himself from them. In the same way, a servant will not protect himself against Shayṭān except by the dhikr of Allah” (Tirmidhī).
    • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from **external** sources of harm, and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from **internal** sources of harm, as following the whispers of Shayṭān will lead us to commit sins. In this way, we would cause ourselves to be harmed and punished.
    • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from the harms that we **cannot** control; and this surah teaches us to seek refuge from the harms that we **can** control.
    • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to **this life**; and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to the **hereafter**.
    • In Sūrah al-Falaq, we seek refuge in Allah using one of His Attributes from **four different sources of evil**; but in this Sūrah we seek refuge in Allah using three of His Attributes from **one source of evil**. This teaches us that the harms related to the hereafter are far greater than those related to this life.
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    **Three Powerful Surahs**
    • It is Sunnah to recite these three Sūrahs three times in the morning and evening, three times before going to sleep, once after every ṣalāh, and when one is ill.
    • Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) said, “These Sūrahs are extremely effective in repelling magic, evil eye, and the rest of the evils…The need for a slave to seek Allah’s protection with these Sūrahs is greater than his need for eating, drinking and clothes.”

  • Allah Will Suffice You in Everything

    حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ.

    (7x)

    Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god worthy of worship except Him. I have placed my trust in Him only and He is the Lord of the Magnificent Throne.

    Ḥasbiya-Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa, ʿalayhi tawakkaltu, wa Huwa Rabbu-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿaẓīm.

    Abū al-Dardā’ (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said: “Whoever recites [the above] seven times in the morning and in the evening, Allah will suffice him in everything that concerns him in matters of this world and the next.” (Ibn al-Sunnī 71)

    **Brief Commentary**
    • In this duʿā’, we do not explicitly ask Allah for anything, but instead we remind ourselves of our relationship with Allah, and set ourselves in the correct frame of mind for the day.
    • We commence this prayer by affirming that “**Allah is sufficient**” for us. We say it in the general form i.e. Allah will suffice us in absolutely everything, no matter how small or large it is, whether it is related to this life or the hereafter.
    • As Allah is the only one who deserves to be worshipped, He alone possesses the complete qualities of perfection and majesty. Therefore, He is the **only** one who can fully suffice us.
    • As Allah is sufficient for us, the next part of the duʿā’ is the result of knowing this, which is that we rely on Him Alone (tawakkul).
    • To further confirm why we rely on Him, we remind ourselves of His greatness, for He is the Lord of the Majestic Throne. Its majesty has been described in the commentary of Āyat al-Kursī (duʿā’ 1).
    • We repeat this duʿā’ seven times so that the meanings settle in our hearts, and we feel our īmān in Allah increase each time we utter it.
    • When Allah wanted to mention the main qualities of believers in Sūrah al-Anfāl, He included the quality of their tawakkul (reliance) on Him (8:2-4).
    • Tawakkul brings many benefits. The Prophet ﷺ said, “If you have tawakkul on Allah as you truly should, then He would provide for you like He provides for the birds. Do you not see that they leave in the early morning with an empty stomach, and return full in the afternoon?” (Tirmidhī 2344).
    • There are 70,000 people who will enter Jannah without any punishment or questioning [by Allah]. One of their qualities is that they have true tawakkul on Allah in everything they do (Bukhārī 6472).
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    **Action Points**
    • Make sure you remind yourself to live by this duʿā’ every time you recite it i.e. **have true tawakkul on Allah**.
    • Tawakkul is to take the lawful means, with a complete reliance and trust in Allah to bring about good and remove harm. Tawakkul stems from having **certainty (yaqīn)** in Allah.
    • Abū Saʿīd al-Khazzāz defined tawakkul as, “Constant movement without being stationary, and being stationary without movement”. In other words, you should be physically moving and using whatever means you possess to achieve your goals. At the same time, your heart is stationary in terms of its dependence on Allah i.e. your heart is so confident that Allah will take care of you; and thus you don’t feel anxious and always feel inner calm, no matter what the circumstances are.
    • Though this may sound like a simple duʿā’, it is in fact a great duʿā’ to save a person from distress. Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated that the duʿā’ حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل (a shorter version of this duʿā’) is what Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām) said when he was thrown into the fire, so Allah saved him; and it is what our Prophet ﷺ said when the disbelievers regrouped immediately after the battle of Uḥud, so Allah saved the Muslims from them (Bukhārī 4563).

  • Surah al-Baqarah: A Shield From Shaytan

    سورة البقرة

    (1x)

    The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Shaytān runs away from the house in which Sūrah al-Baqarah is recited.” (Muslim)

    The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Recite Sūrah al-Baqarah. To recite it regularly and adhere to it is a blessing, to give it up is a cause of regret, and the magicians cannot confront it.” (Muslim)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Protection From All Harm

    أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ.

    (3x)

    I seek protection in Allah’s perfect words from the evil of whatever He has created.

    Aʿūdhu bi-kalimātil-llāhi-t-tāmmāti min sharri mā khalaq.

    Khawla bint Hakīm Sulamiyya (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever stops at a stopping place and then says [the above], nothing shall harm him until he sets off again from that place.” (Muslim 2708)

    Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever recites [the above] three times in the evening will not be harmed by insect stings in that night.”
    Suhayl (a narrator) said: “So our family used to learn it and they used to say it every night. A girl among them was stung, and she did not feel any pain.” (Tirmidhī 3604)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Protection From Crafty Jinns

    أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَبَرَأَ وَذَرَأَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فِيْهَا ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ ، يَا رَحْمٰنُ.

    (1x)

    I seek protection in the perfect words of Allah – which neither the upright nor the corrupt may overcome – from the evil of what He created, of what He brought into existence, and of what He scattered, from the evil of what descends from the heavens, and of what rises up to them, from the evil of what He scattered in the earth and of what emerges from it, from the evil trials of night and day, and from the evil of every night visitor, except the night visitor who comes with good, O Merciful One.

    Aʿūdhu bi-kalimātil-llāhi-t-tāmmāti-l-latī lā yujāwizuhunna barruw-walā fājir, min sharri mā khalaqa wa bara’a wa dhara’a, wa min sharri mā yanzilu mina-s-samā’i wa min sharri mā yaʿruju fīhā, wa min sharri mā dhara’a fi-l-arḍi wa min sharri mā yakhruju minhā, wa min sharri fitani-l-layli wa-n-nahār, wa min sharri kulli ṭāriqin illā tariqan yaṭruqu bi-khayr, yā Raḥmān.

    Khālid ibn al-Walīd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) would wake up from fright at night and would come out of his house with his sword. It was feared that someone would get hurt. So he complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Indeed Jibrīl said to me that a powerful and crafty jinnī was plotting against you, so say [the above].” Khālid (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said these words and this stopped happening. (Tabarānī in Mu’jam al-Kabīr 3838)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Protection With Allah’s Names

    أَعُوْذُ بِوَجْهِ اللّٰهِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، الَّذِيْ لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهُ وَبِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِيْ لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ ، وَبِأَسْمَاءِ اللّٰهِ الْحُسْنىٰ كُلِّهَا مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَبَرَأَ وَذَرَأَ.

    (1x)

    I seek the protection of Allah the Supreme, than whom there is nothing greater. And I seek protection in the perfect words of Allah which no man – virtuous or evil – can even transcend; and I seek the protection of all of The Most Beautiful Names of Allah – the ones I know and the ones I do not know – from the evil of everything He created, brought into existence, and spread over the earth.

    Aʿūdhu bi-wajhillāhi-l-ʿAẓīm, al-ladhī laysa shay’un aʿẓama minhu wa bi-kalimātil-llāhi-t- tāmmāti-l-latī lā yujāwizuhunna barruw-walā fājir, wa bi-Asmāi-llāhi-l-Ḥusnā kullihā mā ʿalimtu minhā wa mā lam aʿlam, min sharri mā khalaqa wa bara’a wa dhara’.

    Kaʿb b. Aḥbār said: “If it was not for certain phrases I uttered, the Jews would have turned me into a donkey.” He was asked: “What were they?” He said: “[the above].” (Muwaṭṭā’ 3502)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • A Comprehensive Protection

    أَعُوْذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِيْنِ وَأَنْ يَّحْضُرُوْنِ.

    (1x)

    I seek protection in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, from the evil of His servants, and from the evil suggestions of the devils and from them appearing to me.

    Aʿūdhu bi-kalimātil-llāhi-t-tāmmāti min ghaḍabihi wa ʿiqābih, wa sharri ʿibādih, wa min hamazāti-sh-shayāṭīni wa ay-yaḥaḍurūn.

    ʿAmr b. Shuʿayb narrated from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When one of you becomes frightened during sleep, then let him say: [the above]. For verily, they shall not harm him.”

    He said: “So ʿAbdullah b. ʿAmr (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) used to teach it to those of his children who attained maturity, and those of them who did not, he would write it on a sheet and then hang it around their neck.” (Tirmidhī 3528, Aḥmad 6696)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Protection From All Diseases

    اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ ، وَالْجُنُوْنِ ، وَالْجُذَامِ ، وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الْأَسْقَامِ.

    (1x)

    O Allah, I seek Your protection from leprosy, madness, leukederma, and from evil diseases.

    Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina-l-baraṣ, wa-l-junūn, wa-l-judhām, wa min sayyi’i-l-asqām.

    Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ used to say [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 1554)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • Seeking Protection for Children

    أُعِيْذُكُمَا (أُعِيْذُكَ) بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰهِ التَّامَّةِ ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَّهَامَّةٍ ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَّامَّةٍّّ.

    (1x)

    I seek protection for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and every beast, and from every evil eye.

    Uʿīdhukumā (Uʿīdhuka) bi-kalimāti-llāhi-t-tāmmah, min kulli shayṭāniw-wa hāmmah, wa min kulli ʿaynil-lāmmah

    Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek Allah’s protection for Ḥasan and Ḥusayn (radiy Allāhū ʿanhumā) and say: “Your forefather (i.e. Ibrāhīm) used to seek refuge with Allah for Ismaʿīl and Isḥāq by reciting the [the above].” (Bukhārī 3371)

    Jābir (radiy Allāhū ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When the evening comes, keep your children in, for the devils come out at that time. Then when part of the night has passed, let them go. And close the doors and mention the name of Allah, for Shaytān does not open a closed door. Tie up your waterskins and mention the name of Allah. Cover your vessels, even if you only put something over them and extinguish your lamps.” (Bukhārī 3280)

    Commenting on the above hadīth, Ibn Hajar (raḥimahullāh) quotes Ibn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh): ‘‘There is a fear for children at that hour, because the impurity (najāsah) that the devils (shayātīn) surround themselves with is usually found in children.

    Similarly, children do not usually engage in the dhikr which would protect them. And when the devils spread out, they hang on to whatever they can hang on to. Hence there is a fear for children at that time.

    The reason why they spread out at that time is that they are more able to move about at night than during the day, because darkness is more conducive to the devil forces coming together than any other time.’ (Fath al-Bārī)

  • When You Feel Pain in the Body

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ (x3). أَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ.

    (7x)

    In the Name of Allah. I seek the protection of Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and from what I fear.

    Bismi-llāh. Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi wa qudratihī min sharri mā ajidu wa uḥadhir.

    ʿUthmān b. Abī al-ʿAās (radiy Allāhū ʿanhu) complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about pain that he had felt in his body from the time he had accepted Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Put your hand on the part of your body where you feel pain and say [the above].” (Muslim 2202)

    In another narration he said: “I did that and Allah removed my pain. After that, I used to instruct my family and others to do the same.” (Tirmidhī 2080)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • When You Feel Unwell

    اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ تَعْجِيْلَ عَافِيَتِكَ ، وَصَبْرًا عَلىٰ بَلِيَّتِكَ ، وَخُرُوْجًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلىٰ رَحْمَتِكَ.

    (1x)

    O Allah, I ask You for a speedy recovery, patience on your afflictions, and a departure from this world to Your mercy.

    Allāhumma innī as’aluka taʿjīla ʿāfiyatik, wa ṣabran ʿalā balliyyatik, wa khurūjam-mina-d-dunyā ilā raḥmatik.

    ʿĀ’ishā (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates that Jibrīl came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “Allah has instructed you to say [the above] for he will grant you one of them.” (Ḥākim 1917)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • A Remedy for Pain

    رَبُّنَا اللهُ الَّذِيْ فِي السَّمَاءِ تَقَدَّسَ اسْمُكَ ، أَمْرُكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، كَمَا رَحْمَتُكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ، فَاجْعَلْ رَحْمَتَكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا حُوْبَنَا وَخَطَايَانَا أَنْتَ رَبُّ الطَّيِّبِيْنَ ، فَأَنْزِلْ رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ ، وَشِفَاءً مِنْ شِفَائِكَ عَلَىٰ هٰذَا الْوَجَعِ فَيَبْرَأَ.

    (1x)

    Our Lord is Allah who is in the heaven. Holy is Your Name. Your command reigns supreme in the heaven and the earth. As You shower Your mercy in the heaven, shower Your mercy in the earth. Forgive us our sins and our errors. You are the Lord of good people. Send down mercy from Your mercy, and remedy from Your remedy on this pain so that it heals.

    Rabbuna-llāhu-l-ladhī fi-s-samāi’ taqaddasa-s-smuk, amruka fi-s-samāi’ wa-l-arḍ, kamā raḥmatuka fi-s- samāi fa-jʿal raḥmataka fi-l-arḍ, wa-ghfir lanā ḥūbanā wa khaṭāyānā Anta Rabbu-ṭ-ṭayyibīn, fa-anzil raḥmatam-mi-r-raḥmatika wa shifā’am-min shifā’ika ʿala hadha-l-wajaʿi fa-yabra’.

    Abū al-Dardā (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “If any one of you is suffering from anything or his brother is suffering, he should say [the above].” (Abū Dāwūd 3892)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • What The Sick Should Say & What Should Be Said For Them

    اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ ، أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ ، اِشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِيْ ، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا.

    (1x)

    O Allah, the Lord of mankind, remove this disease. Cure, for You are the One who cures. There is no cure except for Your cure. May it be a cure which leaves behind no sickness.

    Allāhumma Rabba-n-nās, adh-hibi-l-ba’s, ishfi Ant-sh-Shāfī, lā shifā’a illā shifā’uk, shifā’al-lā yughādiru saqamā.

    ‘Ā’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) reported that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited any ill person in his family, he would wipe his right hand over the ill person, supplicating [with the above].” (Bukhārī 5743)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • The Duʿa of Jibril for The Prophet ﷺ When He Was Ill

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ أَرْقِيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيْكَ ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ ، اَللّٰهُ يَشْفِيْكَ ، بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ أَرْقِيْكَ.

    (1x)

    In the Name of Allah, I seek protection for you from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or the eye of an envious person. May Allah cure you; with the Name of Allah, I recite over you.

    Bismi-llāhi arqīka min kulli shay’in yu’dhīk, min sharri kulli nafsin aw ʿayni ḥāsidin, Allāhu yashfīk, Bismi-llāhi arqīk.

    Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (radiy Allāhū ʿanhu) reported that Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām) came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked: “O Muhammad, are you ill?” He ﷺ replied: “Yes.” Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām) said: “[The above].” (Muslim 2186)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • The Prophet’s Duʿa for the One in Pain

    بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ تُرْبَةُ أَرْضِنَا بِرِيْقَةِ بَعْضِنَا ، يُشْفَىٰ سَقِيْمُنَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّنَا.

    (1x)

    In the Name of Allah, the dust of our earth mixed with the saliva of one of us. May our sick be cured with the permission of our Lord.

    Bismi-llāhi turbatu arḍinā bi-rīqati baʿḍinā, yushfā saqīmunā bi-idhni Rabbinā.

    ‘Ā’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) reported that when a person complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about an illness, or suffered from a sore or a wound, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would touch the ground with his forefinger and then raise it saying [the above]. (Muslim 2194)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • A Guaranteed Cure

    أَسْأَلُ اللّٰهَ الْعَظِيْمَ ، رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ.

    (7x)

    I ask Allah, the Supreme, Lord of the Magnificent Throne to cure you.

    As’alu-llāha-l-ʿAẓīm, Rabba-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿAẓīm, ay-yashfiyak.

    Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhumā) narrates that the the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “He who visits a sick person who is not on the verge of death and supplicates [the above] seven times, Allah will certainly heal him from that sickness.” (Tirmidhī 2083)

    Explanation coming soon…

  • What to Say to The Unwell Person

    لَا بَأْسَ طَهُوْرٌ ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللّٰهُ.

    (1x)

    Do not worry, it will be a purification (for you), Allah willing.

    Lā ba’sa ṭahūrun, in shā’a-llāh.

    Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhumā) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ paid a visit to a sick Bedouin. The Prophet ﷺ when visiting a patient used to say [the above] (twice). So the Prophet ﷺ said [the above] to the Bedouin. The Bedouin said, “You say, may Allah cure me? No, for it is a fever which boils in (the body of) an old man, and will lead him to the grave.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes, then may it be as you say.” (Bukhārī 3616)

    Explanation coming soon…

Praises of Allah
After Salah