INTRODUCTION TO SURAH AN-NAS
Surah An-Nas was revealed in Mecca as the 21st surah. It forms a unity with Surah al-Falaq. This surah continues the enumeration of the evils from which people should seek refuge in Allah.
21 / SURAH AN-NAS
Meaning of the verses [in one sentence]:
1-6Say: “I seek refuge in the god of humans,[50] the sovereign of humans and Rabb of humans from unseen creatures, known creatures;[49] from all of them, from the evil of the evil whispers of the mischievous enemy that whispers evil within the minds of people”!
Analysis of Verses
the sovereign of humans
and Rabb of humans
from unseen creatures, known creatures;
The second and third verses of the Surah serve as an explanation (Atf-u beyan) of the first verse, clarifying its meaning. To fully understand these three verses, let us consider the key words in these verses one by one:
Melik
“Melik,” one of Allah’s beautiful names, means “sovereign, ruler, or king.” Derived from the verb “Me-Le-Ke,” the term implies both possession and authority. Thus, it connotes the power to rule over and dispose of what one possesses. Terms such as “melik” (king), “malik” (owner), and “melîk” (sovereign) all convey this sense of control. The infinitive “milk” or “mulk” refers to what is owned and governed. When Allah is called “the Melik of Mankind,” it implies His absolute control over all human beings.
In this sense, Allah is the only true sovereign because, as the Qur’an repeatedly emphasizes, all property and dominion belong solely to Him. The entire universe is Allah’s creation and possession, and He has absolute authority over it. However, Allah’s justice, truth, and oneness as the only deity ensure there is no imbalance or injustice within His creation.
Allah, as the true Ruler and Owner, has entrusted human beings with authority over the earth as a responsibility. This granted authority is not absolute but is confined within the divine limits and laws He has revealed to humanity through His messengers. Accordingly, Allah has instructed humans, who were created in various forms, colors, and abilities, to establish and maintain a social order. Each person is given a limited sphere of influence or authority, defined and restricted by the boundaries set by Allah. Thus, the governance role humans play is seen as a temporary trust rather than ownership.
Since humans are unable to independently determine the laws and rules for owning or managing property in a manner aligned with Allah’s justice, Allah has chosen specific messengers to reveal these laws to all humanity. The prophets taught that the ownership and governance of earth must be conducted in accordance with the divine rules set forth by Allah.
In this manner, Allah exercises His rulership over the earth through humans, within the parameters He has established, and according to the laws He revealed through His messengers. The human responsibility within this delegated authority is to set up systems and elect leaders who will uphold Allah’s will on earth—His property, partially entrusted to their care. If people fail to fulfill this responsibility, Allah may punish them by allowing rulers who embody the qualities they deserve to take control. Historical examples of this divine justice are seen in the figures of Pharaoh, who opposed Moses, and Nimrod, who opposed Abraham. These examples serve as lessons on the consequences of rejecting Allah’s guidance.
While the term “Melik” existed with the meaning of “ruler” or “head of state” prior to Islam, Muslim rulers generally did not adopt this title until Muawiya, the founder of the Umayyad state, became the first to use it in Islamic history. However, since the term “melik” evoked memories of governance styles contrary to the principles practiced during the time of the Prophet and the era of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, Muawiya’s use of the title was met with disapproval and even condemnation by some Islamic scholars.
Ilah
The word “ilah” derives from a root meaning “covering, concealment, habituation, and servitude.” Over time, it became a common term for objects or beings that are “worshipped, adored, and glorified.” The word “ilah” is understood in the sense of “the being to be worshipped” because it encompasses meanings such as “one who satisfies needs, gives rewards for deeds, grants tranquility and peace, embodies sublimity, subdues and protects, and rescues in times of calamity.”
Islam’s pure tawhid creed emphasizes pure monotheism (tawhid), recognizing Allah as the sole being to be worshipped and glorified, the creator of the universe and all existence, and the one who brings creation into being out of nothing.
This pure concept of Allah in Islam starkly contrasts with the concept of “god” in other religions. The gods in other belief systems are often shaped by human fears and needs, existing as a product of those who create them. They are powerless to rule and would lose their significance if people’s fears and desires disappeared. These gods exist alongside humans and perish with them.
However, in Islam, a person cannot acquire his god according to his own needs. This is because Islam is based on the principle that the God to be worshipped is the only absolute Creator and the only judge. Islam calls people to believe in and worship this God, Allah. Allah, the God of Islam, is the absolute creator and therefore exists before everything else. His existence is self-existent. He does not need any support other than Himself to sustain His existence, and since He is eternal, He does not perish with man.
The word “god” is used in the Qur’an both in the sense of “the being worshipped by people without distinction, whether true or false” and in the sense of “the true god who is truly worthy of worship.”
Adopting a Deity
The belief in tawheed, which began with Adam, the first human being and the first prophet to be informed on earth, continued with every prophet sent and culminated with our Prophet.
All prophets continued their struggle on the path of tawheed, which was a confirmation of the Prophets before them, and warned the tribes they were sent to not to adopt deities other than Allah and called them to worship Allah. However, the Prophets found very few believers who stood by them in their struggle. Some of them were even subjected to constant insults and ridicule from the society in which they lived, and were driven away or killed.
Societies that did not heed the warnings of the Prophets persisted in their own beliefs and continued to worship gods other than Allah, thinking that what they believed to be gods for them could protect them in times of fear and distress. The Qur’an introduces these people to us as follows:
81And they have taken idols from among those that are inferior to Allah so there may be a glory, an honor and a power for themselves.
(Maryam/ 81)
74And they have taken deities/gods from among those that are inferior to Allah so they may be helped.
(Ya Sin/ 74)
101And We did not treat them unjustly; but they treated themselves unjustly, did wrong; acted against their own good. Hence, when the command of your Rabb came, their gods which they invoked from among those that are inferior to Allah did not avail them at all and they did not increase anything other than loss.
(Hud/ 101)
20,21And that which they invoke from among those that are inferior to Allah can not form anything, they were formed, they are dead, they are not alive. And they do not know for sure when they will be resurrected.
22And your God is the One God. And as for those who do not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife]; their hearts work for preventing it to be known and they are the ones who think highly of themselves.
(An-Nahl/ 20, 22)
66Open your eyes! Indeed, whoever is in the heavens/universe and whoever is on the earth belong to Allah. And those who invoke those that are inferior to Allah do not follow those that they take as partner. They only follow assumption and they only lie.
(Yunus/ 66)
83That home of Akhirat [Afterlife]! We will prepare it for those who do not seek corruption and arrogance on the earth. And the outcome is for those who have entered under the guardianship of Allah.
(Al-Qasas/ 88)
The following conclusions can be drawn from these verses:
– The people of the Jahiliyyah period had deities to whom they prayed and called for help in times of fear and distress.
– These deities were not only jinn, angels and idols. People who had lived and died before were also among the deities worshipped. Thus, “They are not the living, but the dead. They do not know when they will be resurrected” (An-Nahl 21).
– The polytheists believed that the idols they worshipped heard their prayers and supplications and had the power to help them.
Based on these conclusions, it can be said that to adopt a deity is to believe in and embrace the existence of a power that can hear and respond to prayers and supplications. According to this definition, if a person believes that only Allah has this power and acts accordingly, he has taken Allah as his deity. If he believes that there are other “things” that have this power and acts accordingly, he is deifying “things” other than Allah.
However, the help that people receive from each other in accordance with the laws of cause and effect in life does not necessarily mean this. For example, if a person asks another person to feed his hungry stomach, or asks for help from a doctor who he hopes will cure his illness, this does not mean that he has taken these people as gods. This is because the help that is asked for in these circumstances is the help that some people can give to others in the natural course of life, with the means and knowledge they possess. Allah Almighty has already made this clear in the Qur’an by saying that He created people differently so that they could help each other in their affairs. But in the above example, if a person who is hungry or sick seeks supernatural help from a dead person, an object [idol], or anyone else who does not have the means or knowledge to fulfill these needs, he has taken that “thing” as a god.
As is common today, asking a dead person or a living person to fulfill one’s needs [money, a house, a car, a job], to improve one’s bad health, or to keep one’s good health intact, is nothing but taking the one being asked for as a deity. Likewise, newly married couples visiting the graves of various people and making offerings to them, believing that it will bring them happiness, is one of the most obvious examples of taking gods other than Allah and associating partners with Allah.
In fact, the idea that causes people to pray to the objects they have taken as gods and ask for help from them is that they tacitly accept that these objects have power over the laws of nature and that they have a power beyond the influence of the laws of nature.
In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty explains the situation of those who take other gods besides Him as follows:
27,28Indeed, We manipulated/destroyed lands that were your neighbors. We diversified the Ayat over and over again so they might return. Then, why did those fake gods that they took from among those that are inferior to Allah by which to be closer to Him not help them to avert their punishment? Rather, those fake gods have departed from them and perished. This is their lies/that which they invented.
(Al-Ahqaf/ 27, 28)
The beginning of people’s abandonment of the true Creator in favor of idols made by their own hands is reported in the Qur’an as follows:
21-24Noah said: “My Rabb! Indeed, my people have disobeyed me. They have followed the one whose wealth and child would bring nothing but harm to himself. And they have set tremendous plots. And they said: “Never leave your gods. And never leave Wadd, Suwa, Yaghuth, Ya’uq and Nasr[298]”. They have indeed led many astray. And you, increase those who do wrong; act against their own good by associating others with You only in astray”.
(Nuh/ 21-24)
We know from historical documents that these idols mentioned in the verse were later re-erected in different parts of the Arabian peninsula.
Ancient peoples who lived in ancient times and were ignorant of the belief in monotheism also adopted many deities who exhibited human behavior. For example, in the mythological religions of Ancient Egypt, Osiris, who was the result of the marriage of the earth god Keb [or Geb] and the sky goddess Nut [Neuth, Nuit] according to one source, was killed by Seth [Set] because of jealousy and was divided into twelve [or fourteen] parts. According to the ancient Chinese religion of Cynicism, the Chinese rulers, descended from the god Chang-Ti, were the sons of heaven. The deities of Indian religions were not free from all human shortcomings either. For example, Indra, the god of thunder, rain and storms, who used lightning and thunder as weapons, was a very cruel and warlike god. Likewise, Marduk, the god of the Sumerians, had achieved divinity by fighting other gods, just like kings among men. In the Iranian religion of Mecca, according to one source, Hormuz, the god of goodness, and Ehrimen, the god of evil, and according to another source, Ormazd and Ehrimen, two spirits created by the Wise God Ahura Mazda and later transformed into the principles of good and evil, were constantly at war. Depending on which one was victorious, good or evil prevailed on earth. In the religion of the Celts, the ancestors of today’s Europeans, people were brutally sacrificed to gods. According to one source, the Aztecs considered Chichli-Puçli, the god of war, and according to another source, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war and the sun, a cruel and warlike god who enjoyed eating human hearts. Jehovah [YHVH, YAHVE, YeHoVah], the national deity of the Jews, was extremely cruel and harsh to tribes other than his own people, the Israelites. In addition, we should not forget the mythological Olympian gods of Ancient Greece. It is also known how the Turks of Central Asia deified various objects, especially a wolf that they believed saved them.[1]
Today’s Western world has adopted Greek and Roman polytheism in all but name. The words used in Western languages for deity [English “God”, German “Gott”, French “Dieu”, Italian “Dio”] are based on the Greek Theos and Latin Deivo, which in turn are based on the Greek mythology’s understanding of God in human form. This understanding of deity, which originated in ancient Greece and generally had human weaknesses and shortcomings, was transferred first to Rome and then to Christianity, and the statues of Jesus and Maryam became the indispensable idols of the temples.
As can be seen, Islam and other religions have very different conceptions of God, and religions other than Islam have never been able to come close to pure monotheism and an understanding of God purified from everything that exists in monotheism. These religions could not come close to Islam’s conception of God as a concept, nor could they come close to it as a name; they gave their gods names such as “God”, “Lord”, “Ilâh”, “Huda”, “Çalap”, but they never gave the name “Allah”, or perhaps they could not.
The belief in God in Islam is based on the fact that He is the God of all mankind, not just Muslims, as verse 3 declares.
Rabbunnâs [Lord of mankind]
It has already been stated that the word “Rabb” means “One who educates and trains, one who leads his creatures to certain goals in accordance with a certain program, one who programs and directs the development of the creation” and should not be confused with concepts such as “Creator” and “God”. By using the words “to the Lord of mankind” in verse 1 and “to the God of mankind” in verse 3 in the same sentence, Allah Almighty has shown that the words “Lord” and “God” have different meanings.
There is no doubt that Allah is the Lord of all beings. However, as can be seen, the verse says “Rabbunnas, the Lord of mankind”. The following can be said about the reasons for this:
– Humans are the supreme creatures in the universe.
– Humans are the ones who are commanded to take refuge here. When a person takes refuge with the expressions in this Surah, he is saying, “I take refuge in You, O my Lord, O my God, O my Lord.”
– The refuge here is refuge from the evil of the “hannas” in people’s chests [hearts, minds] who give them mischief. “I seek refuge from the evil of hannas, who gives people mischief, in their Lord, who is sovereign over the affairs of mankind. That Lord is the God and Lord of mankind.” This refuge is like a slave turning to his guardian for help when he is in danger.
It is noteworthy that in Surah al-Falaq, our Lord mentioned one attribute for four things to seek refuge from. Here He mentions three of His attributes for a single thing to take refuge from, due to the seriousness of the matter. This shows how much harm “hannas” can do to people.
from the evil of the evil whispers of the mischievous enemy that whispers evil within the minds of people”!
The external enemies from which one should seek refuge in Allah were introduced in Surah al-Falaq. In this Surah, the enemy within us is introduced. This enemy is lurking in the background, constantly giving mischief, making insidious suggestions, and trying to cause harm in order to lead us to evil.
As with verses 1 – 3, we would like to dwell on the meaning of some of the words in this group of verses one by one:
“Vesvâs”
Vesvese means “to instill a secret thought in a low voice, in a whisper, to lead to a deed or action.” It is mentioned in the Qur’an in verse 20 of Surah Al-A’raf, verse 16 of Surah Qaf, and verse 120 of Surah Ta-Ha.
“Hannâs”
The word “Hannas” is an accusative noun derived from the root “hunus” and means “very sly, stealthy, secretive, pursuing a policy of secrecy.” We have seen a different form of this word, “hunnes,” in verse 15 of Surah At-Takwir.
We can also take the word “Hannas” as “hidden enemy, deep enemy,” and based on this, we can analyze this hidden enemy in two groups:
– The first group of hidden enemies is the hidden enemy within us. This is our inner demon, our crude thinking, the Devil. In other words, it is our desires, our bad habits, our ego, our nafs. Indeed, our Lord has informed us of this as follows:
16And indeed, it is We Who formed man. And We know what his self whispers to him. And We are closer to him than his jugular vein. 17,18While two recorders, based on his left and on his right (all around him) record all his deeds, man does not utter any word except that there is an observer with him.
(Qaf/ 16)
The emphasis on the hidden enemy being within the human being and not outside is emphasized in verse 5 by saying “fi suduri’n-nâs [in the bosoms of the people; in their hearts, minds and intellects].” Those who ignorantly translate this verse as “in their chests/hearts, hearts, minds, and intellects” are certainly in grave error. This is because for the verse to be translated in this way, the original should be “ila sudurinnas.” However, the verse is “fi suduri’n-nas.” In other words, the “khannas” mentioned in verse 4 does not function outside, but in the breasts [hearts, minds, intellects]. Therefore, the hidden enemy operates within ourselves.
– The second group of hidden enemies are the hannas within society. They settle in the institutions, which are the brains of society, and from there, they give mischief for the mischief of society and cause harm to society. Again, these are the demonized people, forces, and institutions around us. They never show themselves directly in society; they always use pawns. Or they inject their poisons through various means of influence [poetry, painting, music, cinema, theater, television, books, schools, etc.], and they manipulate individuals and organizations by stealing minds and ideas, and lead them into various evils. They prevent people from following the path of Allah, or even turn them away from religion and faith, or prevent them from coming to religion and faith, and lead them to eternal disaster. This second group of “khannas” is explained to us in Surah Al-An’am:
121And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned. Surely, it is a complete going astray from the path. And surely, devils inspire those who are close to them to dispute with you. And if you obey them, indeed you will become those who associate others with Allah.
(Al-An’am/121)
112,113Thus, for every prophet We made his concealed-apparent devils an enemy: Some of these inspire/whisper to some other alluring words so that, hearts of those who did not believe in Akhirat [Afterlife], due to their indulgence into the allurement of the worldly life, may incline towards them, they may be content of them and do what they were doing. –And if your Rabb had willed, they would not have done it. Then, leave them and that which they invent
( Al-An’am/112, 113)
The word “reveals” in the verse means “to secretly, slyly, and subtly suggest or provide information.” While it can be explained as “whispers,” this is not an exact translation. The same word is used in verse 121 of Surah Al-An’am.
It is evident from verse 112 of Surah Al-An’am that the Prophets have both overt and covert enemies. These enemies collaborate secretly and teach each other persuasive and misleading words. The motivations behind their devious schemes are as follows:
– To be captivated by worldly wealth and benefits: They are the exploiters of society, placing material gain above all else. The Prophets disrupt their corrupt systems and obstruct their selfish interests.
– To divert the hearts of those who do not believe in the Afterlife (those who have not yet become Muslims) toward the fanciful words they offer as alternatives to the Qur’an.
– To please those who do not believe in the Afterlife with these enticing words.
– To perpetuate the crimes they are committing, to maintain their schemes, keep their systems running, sustain their dominance, and uphold the exploitative order. In short, to safeguard their interests.
One contemporary example of these insidious tactics is the “Subliminal Advertising” method, a strategy designed to implant messages in the subconscious.
This approach involves exposing individuals to stimuli that fall below the level of conscious perception. The most notable experiment demonstrating the effectiveness of such stimuli was conducted by James M. Vicary in 1957. In this experiment, moviegoers were exposed to the messages “Drink Coke” and “Eat popcorn” every 5 seconds for 1/3000 of a second. The results showed an 18.1% increase in Coke sales and a 57.5% increase in popcorn sales.
Research has shown that these messages are ineffective in topics outside the interest of individuals. For instance, someone who dislikes cola cannot be influenced to purchase it through subliminal messages.
While this method can be used for positive purposes, such as promoting smoking cessation or environmental protection campaigns, it can also be exploited for negative purposes. For example, depressive symptoms were observed in subjects exposed to the subliminal message “Attack your mother.” Due to its potential for misuse, advertisements employing this method, despite their short-lived effects, are banned in some countries on ethical grounds.
“Jinn”
Another new concept introduced in the Qur’an through this Surah is the concept of “jinn.” However, to fully understand the concept of “jinn,” it is important to also discuss the concept of “ins” and the meaning of the expression “ins and jinn,” as well as briefly covering the concepts of “Satan” and “Iblis.”
“Jinn” in folk culture is understood as “an invisible creature that eats and drinks like a human, reproduces, believes, sometimes works as a laborer for capable people, possesses extraordinary power and knowledge, strikes people, harms whomever they choose, is a source of enlightenment, and serves as a secret supportive force that inspires high values.”
The word “Jinn” is derived from the root “jenn” and its original meaning is “to hide something from the senses”. In Arabic, it is used in the forms of “Jannehulleylü [the night covered it], jannehü [he made it covered], janneh aleyhi [he covered it]”.[2] As a matter of fact, in the Qur’an, in a passage about our Prophet Abraham, it is used as “felemma jannah al-alayllu [when the night hid him, i.e. when it became dark]” (Al-An’am: 76).
The following words are also derived from the root “jannah”:
Cennet: “A place where the earth is hidden by tree leaves”.
Jinnah: It means “to hide one’s mind, to go mad”.
Cenin: So named because it is hidden in the womb.
Junnet: “Shield used in war”; so named because it hides one from arrows and spears.
In conclusion, all dictionaries, old and new, state that “Jinn are beings or forces that man cannot comprehend with his five senses, that are closed to perception, and whose existence is certain”.
The Qur’an uses this word in the meanings of “germ, electricity, magnet, ray, radiation, agent, spy, stranger, unknown person”. The details of these usages will appear in the analysis of Surah Al-Jinn.
“İns, İnsan”
The word “human” is derived from the form “fi’liyan,” originating from the word “ens” and originally “insiyan.”
The word signifies “that which can be perceived with the five senses, known, visible, familiar, relatable, indestructible, and ever-present.”
Although this is the general meaning of the word and it encompasses all visible beings in the universe, it has been uniquely assigned to humans due to their innate need for mutual acquaintance. In other words, humans are social beings who cannot exist without forming relationships, especially with other humans.
Some exegetes, such as Ibn Abbas, have argued that the word “man” originates from “nisyan” (forgetfulness) and that humans are named so because they forget their promises. However, this view is not only dismissed by linguists but also contradicts the word’s usage in the Qur’an.
“İns ve Cinn”
In the context of discussing the concept of the jinn, we must address a particularly sensitive and critical point for a proper understanding of the Qur’an. This pertains to the use of the words “ins” and “jinn” together as “ins and jinn,” forming a unified expression. This combined phrase is often translated as “Humans and Jinn.” However, in such combined expressions, the meanings of the words evolve, transform, and expand.
To clarify, let us provide an example from the Qur’an:
– When the words maghrib [west] and mashrik [east] are said as “west-east”, the meaning does not only cover two directions, but all directions. For example, in verse 9 of Surah al-Muzzammil, the expression “Rabb al-Mashrik wa al-Maghribi [Lord of the East and the West]” refers to all directions and places, not just east and west. This means “Allah is Lord of all places”. Other examples of this two-word compound expression are: An-Nur 35, Al-Baqara 115, 142, 177, Ash-Shu’ara 28, Rahman 17.
– The words “world” and “Afterlife” together mean “everywhere and at all times”. The Qur’anic verses related to these words are: Al-Baqara 217, 220, Ali-Imran 22, 45, 56, An-Nisa 134, At-Tawbah 69, 74, Yunus 64, Yusuf 101, Hajj 15, An-Nur 14, 19, 23 and Al-Ahzab 57.
– The words “wet” and “dry”, when used together, mean “everything, whatever there is”. For example, in Surah Al-An’am, verse 59, “… there is nothing wet or dry that is not found in a clear book” refers not only to wet and dry, but to everything living or non-living.
– The words “morning” and “evening” also appear frequently in the Qur’an in different expressions and mean “always, always”. The verses related to these words are as follows: Al-A’raf 205, Ar-Ra’d 15, Nur 36, Mu’min 46, 55, An’âm 52, Al-Kahf 28, Maryam 11, 62, Al-Fath 9, Furqan 5, Al-Ahzab 42, Man 25, Ali-Imran 41.
As can be seen, when words that are antonyms of each other are used together in a pattern, the meaning of the pattern is differentiated and enriched from the specific meanings of the words.
This is also the case with the phrase “ins and jinn”. When we look at the meanings of the words that make up the pattern, we see that the words “jinn” and “ins” are words that are opposites of each other, since “jinn” is an imperceptible being and “ins” is a perceptible being.
This opposition is also seen in the Qur’anic verses that inform us about the creation of “man” and “jinn”:
14,15He formed seen, known creatures from a dry clay/a changeable substance which resembles baked mud. And He formed unseen creatures, forces from the smokeless of fire/energy.
(Rahman/ 14, 15)
26,27And surely, We formed seen and known creatures from the clay that sounds, from processable mud/a substance that is capable of many forms. And We had formed unseen creatures before from fire of a burning breeze that can pass through the narrowest hole/from energy that knows no boundaries.
(Hijr/ 26, 27)
Therefore, the meaning of the statement in the verses that “life was created from fire” is that “invisible forces such as electricity, magnetic waves, and light are created from energy”. “Man was created from the earth” means that “beings that can be felt with the five senses, that are known, visible, familiar, relatable, that do not disappear, that are always present, were created from matter”.
The words “ins” and “jinn”, which we have seen to have opposite meanings, when used together as a phrase, mean “what you see and what you do not see, what you know and what you do not know, what you know and what you do not know, that is, everyone and everything”. Examples of this in the Qur’an are as follows:
56,57I formed everyone, that came and passed, whether you know or not, only to worship Me. I do not want any provision from them. And I do not want them to feed Me.
(Adh-Dhariyat/ 56)
88Say: “Surely, if the people of today and tomorrow gathered together in order to bring the like of this Qur’an, even if they helped each other, they could definitely not bring the like of it”.
(Isra/ 88)
5Truly, we thought that those who we know and those we do not would never say lies about Allah.
(Jinn/5)
33O communities of jinn and ins![386] If you are able to pass beyond some of the boundaries of the heavens/universe and the earth, then do it, but you will not be able to do that without a supreme power.
(Rahman/ 33)
56In there are those who stare, who have not been touched by anyone, known-unknown, that has passed and will come.
(Rahman/ 56)
Other examples in this regard are: Al-An’am 112, 130, Al-A’raf 38, 179, Fussilet 25, 29, Al-Ahqaf 18, Naml 17, Rahman 39, 74, Nass 6, Hud 119 and As-Sajdahh 13.
Satan
Satan is the symbol of evil in the Qur’an, and anything that promotes or instills evil is referred to as “shaytan.” Just as a person who advocates evil can be called “shaytan,” negative emotions such as jealousy and anger are also identified as “shaytan.” Therefore, Satan is not an independent, invisible entity. Folk culture, distanced from the Qur’anic teachings, has adopted Satan as an invisible, independent enemy haunting humanity. However, anyone familiar with the Qur’an would find it impossible to understand Satan in this way. The Qur’an itself refers to humans as “shaytan” in certain contexts, as shown in the following verse:
48,49And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease; the ill-minded said, “Their religion has deluded them”, that evil commander made their deeds alluring to them and said to them, “Today, there is no one to defeat you from among the people and I am your helper too”. And when two groups were within the sight of each other, he turned on his heels and said: “Surely, I am away from you. Surely, I am seeing what you can not see, surely I fear Allah”. And Allah is the One Whose judgement/recompense is severe. And whoever relies on Allah, let him know that Allah is the One Who is the most exalted, the most powerful, the most honorable, the invincible/the subduer, the best law maker, the One Who precludes corruption best/makes incorruptible.
(Al-Anfal/ 48, 49)
As observed, the Qur’an refers to a person interacting with others as one of them as “Satan.” The identity of the person referred to as “Satan” in this verse is historically known, and all reports agree on the same information. However, some early commentators, determined to see Satan as an independent and invisible entity, argued that the person described as Satan in this verse was actually the devil in human disguise. The unanimous historical opinion is that the individual mentioned was Suraqa b. Malik b. Jum’u’shum, a member of the Mudlic clan of the tribe of Ben al-Kanaanah.
When the Meccans attributed the defeat of Badr to Suraqa’s actions as described in the verse, early exegesis sought to align the reference to “Satan” with their understanding of the “devil” by asserting that Suraqa had not been present at the battle and was unaware of it. They argued that the “Satan” in the verse was the “devil” disguised as Suraqa. However, this claim rests on an implausible and illogical assumption, as it is highly improbable that someone residing in a city of only a few thousand households and reportedly holding a military position could be ignorant of the war.
Another example in the Qur’an where people are referred to as “devils” is in Surah al-Baqara:
14Certainly not as they think! What they earned has been a stain upon their hearts.
(Al-Baqara/ 14)
14-16They will not fight you together, except within fortified cities or behind walls. Conflict among themselves is severe like of those who have tasted the sin of their deeds just before them and who will have a painful punishment in Akhirat [Afterlife]. And you think they are together but their hearts are scattered as in the example of that satan who says to man: “Disbelieve; consciously deny the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb” and when he disbelieves; consciously denies the divinity of Allah and the fact that He is Rabb, he says: “I am away from you; indeed, I fear Allah, Rabb of all universes”. Thus it is because they are a people who do not use their reason.
(Hashr/ 14-16)
175Surely, that devil/ill-minded person frightens those who are close to him. Do not fear them, fear Me if you are believers.
(Ali-Imran/175)
The “devil” in this verse is not the “invisible being Satan”, but the mentors who seduce the hypocrites and who are human like them.
Considering all the verses in the Qur’an that mention “Satan”:
– He is the one who commands and advises the eating of haram and gaining unjust gains,
– Who commands us to commit evil, immorality and to say against Allah what we do not know,
– Who frightens us with poverty,
– The one that keeps us in delusions,
– The one who commands to change what Allah has created,
– Whispering adulations to deceive us,
– The one who gives us misfortune and clouds our minds,
– Who spoils us with our deeds,
– The one who turns us on,
– Who want to sow enmity and hatred between us through drink, drugs and gambling,
– Who wants to turn away from the remembrance of Allah and Salat
All persons, powers and dispositions are devils.
Another issue that needs to be briefly mentioned under the heading of “Satan” is the concept of “Shaytan-e Rajim.” Unfortunately, a perspective outside the Qur’anic teachings has become widespread regarding this concept, and the terms “shaytan” and “shaytan-ir-rajim” (the banished, cursed devil) are often treated as identical, without any differentiation. However, “Ash-Shaytan-ir-Rajim” is a distinct, specific devil, separate from the general concept of “shaytan.” The expelled, cursed devil is “Iblis.” A detailed analysis of this subject is provided in Surah At-Takwir under the title “Iblis.”
When verse 6 of Surah An-Nas is analyzed in terms of grammatical technique, the interpretation of the verse changes depending on how the preposition “min” at the beginning of the verse is understood. If it is accepted that “min” is used for declaration, the verse suggests that “khannas” (the mischievous whisperer) is a mischief-maker present in every human being, without exception, from both the “jinn” and the “ins” (those whom we do not know and those whom we know well). If it is accepted that “min” is used for initiation, the verse implies that “khannas” provides mischief to the “jinn” and the “ins” (those we do not know and those we know well). Both interpretations are grammatically correct, and both meanings fit the verse appropriately. In either case, the emphasis remains that the term “ins and jinn” does not refer to two separate groups of creatures but to known and unknown people—in short, to everyone.
Another interpretation for verse 6 of Surah An-Nas is provided by the classical exegete Kashshaf. According to him, the word “nas” in the phrase “suduri’n-nas” does not mean “human being” as commonly translated. Instead, it refers to the word “an-nasī,” meaning “one who forgets,” with the letter “ye” omitted due to the flow of the text. If this interpretation is adopted, the verse would mean: “He whispers mischief in the breasts of those who forget, and those who forget are the jinn and the ins.” This interpretation underscores that anyone can forget Allah and that those who forget are misled by the whispers of the mischief-makers.
When Surah al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas, the two surahs of seeking refuge, are evaluated together, it is evident that a total of five groups of evils are mentioned from which one is commanded to seek refuge in Allah. Seeking refuge in Allah is emphasized because there is no human way to safeguard against the dangers posed by these five groups. These threats come from invisible and unknown enemies. Such enemies must be entrusted to Allah, and it is through Allah alone that their harms can be removed. Furthermore, the examples of past nations mentioned in the Qur’an also fall under the scope of these five groups.
The five groups of evil to seek refuge from and the verses related to these evils are as follows
1- The evil of creation [disasters]:
Al-Falaq 2;
2- The evil of darkness [ignorance]:
Al-Baqara 67, Hud 47, Mu’min 56, Maryam 18, Jinn 6, Ad-Dukhan 20;
3- The evil of those who break their contracts [traitors]:
Yusuf 23, 79;
4- The evil of the envious:
Mu’min 27, Ad-Dukhan 19-21;
5- The evil of Hannas:
Mu’min 97, 98, Maryam 18, Ali-Imran 36, Fussilat 36, An-Nahl 98,
Al-A’raf 200, Mu’min 56 and Surah Nâs.
These verses guide us, with examples, on the specific matters in which we should seek refuge with our Lord. By reflecting on these, we can develop a personal prayer etiquette and use Allah’s names and attributes that are relevant to our requests.
For example, if we want to ask for forgiveness of our sins: “O Gaffara’z-zünûb! [O Forgiver of sins] Forgive us!”
If we want to ask for sustenance: “O Rezzâk [O Giver of sustenance]! Grant us abundant sustenance!”
If we ask for our shame to be covered: “O Settâra’l-uyûp! O Coverer of shame, cover our shame!”
Since Surahs al-Falaq and An-Nass inform us of the matters in which we can seek refuge with our Lord, we can also use them as prayers by removing the word “qul” from their titles.
Allah is the one who knows best
[1] [Encyclopedia of Islam and Ana Britannica]
[2] (Lisan al Arab, article “cnn” )