Al-Muminoon 23:97

"And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils,"

The Command to call on Allah when Calamity strikes, to repel Evil with that which is better, and to seek refuge with Allah

Allah commands His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to call on Him with this supplication when calamity strikes:

رَّبِّ إِمَّا تُرِيَنِّى مَا يُوعَدُونَ

(My Lord! If You would show me that with which they are threatened.) meaning, `if You punish them while I am witnessing that, then do not cause me to be one of them.' As was said in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi, who graded it Sahih:

«وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ بِقَومٍ فِتْنَةً فَتَوفَّنِي إِلَيْكَ غَيْرَ مَفْتُون»

(If You want to test people, then take me to You cause me to die without having to undergo the test.)

وَإِنَّا عَلَى أَن نُّرِيَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمْ لَقَـدِرُونَ

(And indeed We are able to show you that with which We have threatened them.) means, `if We willed, We could show you the punishment and test that We will send upon them.' Then Allah shows him the best way to behave when mixing with people, which is to treat kindly the one who treats him badly, so as to soften his heart and turn his enmity to friendship, and to turn his hatred to love. Allah says:

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ

(Repel evil with that which is better. ) This is like the Ayah:

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌوَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ

(Repel (the evil) with one which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient) 41:34-35. meaning, nobody will be helped or inspired to follow this advice or attain this quality,

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ

(except those who are patient) meaning, those who patiently bear people's insults and bad treatment and deal with them in a good manner when they are on the receiving end of bad treatment from them.

وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَآ إِلاَّ ذُو حَظِّ عَظِيمٍ

(and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion) means, in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah says:

وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيـطِينِ

(And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the Shayatin.") Allah commanded him to seek refuge with Him from the Shayatin, because no trick could help you against them and you cannot protect yourself by being kind to them. We have already stated, when discussing Isti`adhah (seeking refuge), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say,

«أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِه»

(I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, from the accursed Shayatin, from his whisperings, evil suggestions and insinuations.) His saying:

وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ

("And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! lest they should come near me.") means, in any issue of my life. So we are commanded to mention Allah at the beginning of any undertaking, in order to ward off the Shayatin at the time of eating, intercourse, slaughtering animals for food, etc. Abu Dawud recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say:

«اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَرَمِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَدْمِ وَمِنَ الْغَرَقِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَخَبَّطَنِي الشَّيْطَانُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْت»

(O Allah, I seek refuge with You from old age, I seek refuge with You from being crushed or drowned, and I seek refuge with you from being assaulted by the Shayatin at the time of death.)

Всевышний приказал Своему посланнику, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, не нарушать прекрасных нравственных устоев и отвечать на зло добром. О Мухаммад! Если твои враги причинят тебе зло своими речами или поступками, то не отвечай им злом. И хотя человек может ответить своему обидчику равноценным злодеянием, ты не поступай так и отвечай на причиненные тебе обиды только добром. Так ты проявишь милость по отношению к своим обидчикам, и это принесет тебе большую пользу. Твой поступок уменьшит причиненное тебе зло как в настоящем, так и в будущем, и поможет твоему обидчику склониться к истине, заставит его пожалеть о содеянном и побудит его принести покаяние. Человек, который прощает своих обидчиков, является добродетельным, потому что он одерживает верх над своим врагом - сатаной, и заслуживает вознаграждение своего Господа. Всевышний сказал: «Воздаянием за зло является равноценное зло. Но если кто простит и установит мир, то его награда будет за Аллахом» (42:40); «Не равны добро и зло. Оттолкни зло тем, что лучше, и тогда тот, с кем ты враждуешь, станет для тебя словно близкий любящий родственник. Но не будет это даровано никому, кроме тех, кто проявляет терпение, и не будет это даровано никому, кроме тех, кто обладает великой долей» (41:34–35). О Мухаммад! Нам прекрасно известны их слова, преисполненные неверия и отрицания истины. Мы доподлинно знаем об этом, но проявляем терпение и выдержку. Мы даруем им отсрочку, несмотря на то, что они отвергают Нас и не хотят верить Нам. А посему тебе также надлежит терпеливо сносить их слова и делать им только добро. Такова обязанность раба по отношению к людям, которые причиняют ему зло. Что же касается дьяволов, которые причиняют зло рабам Аллаха, то делать им добро не имеет смысла, потому что дьяволы призывают своих приспешников только к тому, чтобы те стали обитателями пылающего огня. И поэтому обязанностью рабов по отношению к дьяволам является выполнение следующего предписания Аллаха:

وَقُل رَّ‌بِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ ﴿97﴾ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَ‌بِّ أَن يَحْضُرُ‌ونِ ﴿98﴾

And say, ` 0 my Lord, I seek your refuge from the strokes of the Shaitan, and I seek Your refuge from that they come to me.' (23:97, 98)

The word هَمَز (the infinitive of هَمَزَاتِ Hamazat translated above as 'strokes' ) means "to push, to press" and sometimes is also used to mean "to make a call from behind". This is a very comprehensive prayer often invoked for protection from the guile and mischief of Shaitan and the Holy Prophet ﷺ has urged upon the Muslims to recite it frequently in order to avoid sudden bursts of rage which are brought about by the promptings of and which cause people to lose self-control. This prayer is also very effective in repelling other assaults of Shaitans and Jinns. Sayyidna Khalid ؓ suffered from insomnia and the Holy Prophet ﷺ suggested that he should recite the following prayer before going to bed :

اَعُوذ بِکَلِمَاتِ اللہِ التَّامَّۃِ مِن غضَبِ اللہِ وَعِقَابِہٖ وَمِن شَرِّ عِبَادِہٖ وَمِن ھَمَزٰتِ الشَّیٰطِینِ وَاَن یَّحضُرُونِ

I seek refuge with Allah's Perfect Words from Allah's wrath and His punishment, and from the evils of His slaves, and from the strokes of the Shaitans and from that they come to me.

Sayyidna Khalid ؓ did as advised and was soon cured of insomnia.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

The Command to call on Allah when Calamity strikes, to repel Evil with that which is better, and to seek refuge with Allah