Why Do We Seek Refuge in Allah From Satan When Reading the Quran?
لماذا نستعيذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم عند قراءة القرآن الكريم؟
Because Satan tries to whisper to a person and turn him away from any good deed. When a person seeks refuge from Satan the accursed, it means that he turns to Allah the Almighty to help him guard against Satan’s evil.
Almighty Allah says: (So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]. He certainly has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.) [An-Nahl 16:98-99]
لأن الشيطان يحاول أن يوسوس للإنسان ويصرفه عن أي عمل خير. فإذا استعاذ الإنسان من الشيطان الرجيم يعني أنه يلجأ إلى الله تعالى أن يساعده على الوقاية من شر الشيطان.
(فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ) [النحل 16: 98-99]
1. No Authority Over the Believers | ليس له سلطان على الذين آمنوا
Allah says: he has no authority over those who believe and rely upon their Lord; his authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who associate others with Allah through him (16:99-100). Ibn Kathir reports al-Thawri’s explanation: he has no power to make them fall into a sin they do not repent from; others said: he has no argument against them; and others compared it to: except Your chosen servants among them. Iblis’s own words about those servants are explained in who said: by Your might, I will mislead them all.
إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (سورة النحل: 99)
قال تعالى: (إنه ليس له سلطان على الذين آمنوا وعلى ربهم يتوكلون إنما سلطانه على الذين يتولونه والذين هم به مشركون) (النحل 16: 99-100)، قال الثوري: ليس له عليهم سلطان أن يوقعهم في ذنب لا يتوبون منه، وقال آخرون: معناه لا حجة له عليهم، وقال آخرون: كقوله: (إلا عبادك منهم المخلصين) (الحجر 15: 40)، كما نقل ابن كثير.
2. Only Seeking Refuge Repels Him | لا حيلة فيه إلا الاستعاذة
Allah says: and if an evil prompting from Satan comes to you, seek refuge with Allah; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing (41:36). Ibn Kathir explains: a devil among people may be won over by kindness, but a devil of the jinn cannot be handled by any means except seeking refuge with his Creator, who gave him that power over you; when you seek refuge with Allah and turn to Him, He holds him back from you and repels his scheme.
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (سورة فصلت: 36)
قال تعالى: (وإما ينزغنك من الشيطان نزغ فاستعذ بالله إنه هو السميع العليم) (فصلت 41: 36)، قال ابن كثير: إن شيطان الإنس ربما ينخدع بالإحسان إليه، فأما شيطان الجن فإنه لا حيلة فيه إذا وسوس إلا الاستعاذة بخالقه الذي سلطه عليك، فإذا استعذت بالله ولجأت إليه كفه عنك ورد كيده.
3. Three Places in the Quran | ثلاثة مواضع في القرآن
Ibn Kathir notes that the Quran joins dealing kindly with people and seeking refuge from Satan in three places only: Al-A’raf, Al-Mu’minun and Fussilat. In Al-A’raf Allah says: and if an evil prompting from Satan comes to you, seek refuge with Allah; He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing (7:200). He reports Ibn Jarir’s explanation: if anger from Satan comes to you, keeping you from turning away from the ignorant and driving you to repay them, seek protection with Allah. The words said before reading are explained in what we say before reading the Quran.
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (سورة الأعراف: 200)
قال تعالى: (وإما ينزغنك من الشيطان نزغ فاستعذ بالله إنه سميع عليم) (الأعراف 7: 200)، قال ابن كثير: فهذه الآيات الثلاث في الأعراف والمؤمنون وحم السجدة لا رابع لهن، ونقل عن ابن جرير: وإما يغضبنك من الشيطان غضب يصدك عن الإعراض عن الجاهلين ويحملك على مجازاتهم، فاستجر بالله من نزغه.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Why do we seek refuge from Satan before reading the Quran?
Because Satan tries to whisper to a person and turn him away from every good deed, and seeking refuge is turning to Allah for protection from his evil.
Does Satan have authority over believers?
Allah says he has no authority over those who believe and rely on their Lord (16:99).
What should a Muslim do when an evil prompting comes?
Seek refuge with Allah, as Allah commands in 7:200 and 41:36.
Can a devil of the jinn be won over by kindness?
No. Ibn Kathir says only seeking refuge with Allah repels him.