Names of Allah

Ayat al-Kursi: The Greatest Protection

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.

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.

 

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)

 

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)

Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. However we can attempt to appreciate His Greatness by pondering over His creation. When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we arive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

• 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 it 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.

3 Quls: Be Sufficed in All Your Matters

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.

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.

Muʿādh b. ʿAbdullāh b. Khubaib, narrated from his father (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu), who said: “We went out on a rainy and extremely dark night, looking for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so that he could lead us in Salāh.” He said: “So I met him and he ﷺ said: ‘Say’ but I did not say anything. Then he ﷺ said: ‘Say.’ But I did not say anything. He ﷺ said: ‘Say.’ So I said: ‘What should I say?’ He ﷺ said: **“Recite Sūrah al-Ikhlās and al-Mu’awwidhatayn (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās) three times in the morning and the evening. It will suffice you in all respects.”** (Tirmidhī 3575)
‘It will suffice you in all respects’ means it will protect you from all evil.

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).
 
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**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.”

Ayat al-Kursi: The Greatest Protection

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.

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.

 

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)

 

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)

Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. However we can attempt to appreciate His Greatness by pondering over His creation. When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we arive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

• 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 it 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.

3 Quls: Be Sufficed in All Your Matters

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.

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.

Muʿādh b. ʿAbdullāh b. Khubaib, narrated from his father (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu), who said: “We went out on a rainy and extremely dark night, looking for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so that he could lead us in Salāh.” He said: “So I met him and he ﷺ said: ‘Say’ but I did not say anything. Then he ﷺ said: ‘Say.’ But I did not say anything. He ﷺ said: ‘Say.’ So I said: ‘What should I say?’ He ﷺ said: **“Recite Sūrah al-Ikhlās and al-Mu’awwidhatayn (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās) three times in the morning and the evening. It will suffice you in all respects.”** (Tirmidhī 3575)
‘It will suffice you in all respects’ means it will protect you from all evil.

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).
 
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**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.”

Ayat al-Kursi: The Greatest Protection

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.

 
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.

 

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)

 

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)

Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. However we can attempt to appreciate His Greatness by pondering over His creation. When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we arive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

• 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 it 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.