Surah Naas
We recite certain Surah daily in our Salaah. It would tremendously increase the level of our concentration in Salaah if we knew the meaning of the Surahs that we are reciting. Insha Allah, weekly I will be putting a short
Surah with translation and a brief commentary.
We begin with Surah Naas which is the one hundred and fourteenth and final Surah of the Quraan and has six verses. It is the second of the Mu'awwadhatain, and constitutes an extension of Surah Falq. In Surah Falaq the believers are enjoined to seek refuge with Allah against the hardships and privations of life in this world, while in Surah Naas protection is sought from the trials and tribulations of the Hereafter. Refuge is also sought from the evil that is the cause of all sins, namely, the whisperings and insinuations of Satan. As the anguish and distress of the Hereafter is most severe, the Qur'aan appropriately emphasizes at the end to seek Allah's protection against these evil powers.
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ (1) مَلِكِ النَّاسِ (2) إِلَهِ النَّاسِ (3) مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ (4) الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ (5) مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ (6)
Say, "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, [I] the King of mankind, [2] the God of mankind, [3] from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws (when Allah's name is pronounced), [41 the one who whispers in the hearts of people, [51 whether from among the Jinn or Mankind. [6}
Ibn Kathir states that Allah invokes three of His attributive names in this Surah, Rabb [Lord], Malik [King] and Ilah [God], and instructs man to seek refuge with Him against the whispering of Shytaan. We understand from the Ahadeeth that a Shytaanic companion is attached to every man, and at every step of the way, it attempts to destroy man in different ways. First of all, he induces him to commit sins, and paves the way for him to will fully violate the Divine laws and injunctions. If he does not succeed in this, he tries to contaminate and destroy his acts of obedience and worship by casting the thoughts of dissimulation, hypocrisy, pride and arrogance. He attempts to create doubts about authentic beliefs and doctrines of Islam in the mind. The only one who can be saved from the evil of such Satanic pranks is the one whom Allah gives His protection.