1. Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak,

2. From the evil of that which He has created,

3. From the evil of darkness when it enshrouds,

4. From the evil of those who blow on knots,

5. And from the evil of the envier’s envy.”

Five chapters in the Qur’an open with the command: “Say” (qul قُلْ). This prompting to oneself and to others, which is repeated in the Qur’an 232 times, testifies that the Qur’an is the Word of God and not that of the Prophet, for what sense would there be in the Prophet prompting himself? If someone orders you to tell something to someone else, do you first tell yourself: “Say?” Of course not. You only transmit the message.

The Qur’an’s last two chapters, 113 and 114, are known as the mu‘awwadhatayn, a dual noun signifying the two chapters that proclaim a‘ūdhu (I seek refuge) at the very beginning: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak” (113:1) and “I seek refuge in the Lord of humanity” (114:1). When one finishes reading the Qur’an, he or she has learned certain things and therefore seeks refuge in God from all that opposes and/or contradicts it. Isti‘ādhah, which is from the same root, ‘-W-Dh, means “seeking refuge from every danger.” It is normal for us to seek refuge in one who can protect us, like children who seek protection in their mother’s embrace.

These two chapters describe the evils and corruption that plague humanity. Chapter al-Falaq (The Daybreak; Chapter 113)describes external evils, and chapter an-Nās (Humanity; Chapter 114), whichdeals with our soul, describes internal evils. Divine assistance helps us minimize the evil’s impact upon us.

We know that events do not always unfold in accordance with our wishes and that everything encounters some kind of opposition. These facts apply even to plants, for they are eaten by animals and humans. The world itself, which produces both internal and external barriers, obstacles, and inconveniences, causes people to seek His protection from the evils and machinations placed in our path by Satan.

During the Prophet’s time, the polytheists sought refuge in their idols, which they regarded as symbols of angels and effective forces in the world. They believed in God as the “Lord of the lords” (Rabb-ul-arbāb) Who created the angels and then interacted only with them. People, finding themselves bereft of any direct contact with God, were therefore “forced” to use these idols to intercede with God on their behalf. As such, they sacrificed to them when confronted with famine, cholera epidemics, and other events beyond their understanding.

In these two chapters, God is telling us that calling upon that which is not Him is both foolish and worthless, for only He is the “Lord of the lords.” “Lord” means “He Who manages this world’s affairs and is Sovereign.” Seeking protection from Satan’s alluring temptations and enticements is equivalent to seeking refuge in His lordship. In fact, the Qur’an contains seven references to seeking refuge in the Lord and in God, and one reference to seeking refuge in the mercifully divine.

It should be understood that humans have been placed between two forces: one divine (positive) and the other satanic (negative). One may or may not believe in the concept of Satan, but one cannot deny that humans find themselves in this situation. In fact, there has never been a time and place where all humans have been either totally good or totally evil.

[113:1] Say, “I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak,

Falaq means “to split,” with the understanding that doing so will result in growth and flourishing. An egg’s hard shell confines the chick; however, as soon as it is cracked and broken apart, the chick emerges to begin the next stage of its existence. This phenomenon is called falaq, the breaking of the confining layer that prevented its occupant from setting out upon the next stage of its life. How is it that within this egg, which at the outset had no life, “produced” a living chick through the action-reaction process, and will then feed on the white and yolk of that same egg? And how will that chick, later on and without any power of its own, manage to break out of the egg’s hard shell? This power is called rabb-ul-falaq. Rabb signifies the divine power that enables such a transformation. This phenomenon did not take place by itself, but through the agency of an external power.

Now, let’s look at the world in the same way. When God says: Cleaver of the dawn (6:96), it means that just as the egg’s shell covers the chick within, so does the night cover Earth. However, this dark cover gradually splits and departs so that the light predominates. Thus another day is born and the world experiences another birth. The Qur’an also says: “Truly, God is the cleaver of the grain and the fruit stone” (6:95). A seed of wheat, when planted, will be transformed into a cluster that produces 700 seeds, and an almond or a hazelnut seed will give birth to a huge almond or hazelnut tree. It would be difficult to believe in such results if one did not actually witness the entire process. The Qur’an says that the active agent behind the production of life is the divine power, even though many people might attribute such changes to nature.

On this planet, all of the movements associated with life and energy are produced by the effects of a specific force, power, will, and energy.In four places of the Nahj-ul-Balāghah, Ali states, “I swear to the one who split the seed and blows the wind (nasamah).” Nasīm (wind or breath) is from the same root, which suggests that this particular oath is taken in the name of the One Who created life and each person’s soul; the One Who eases all difficulties and, with a breath of fresh air, creates life, ease, comfort, liberty, and growth. This chapteris an elaboration upon this very point, for one of God’s names is Fāliq (i.e., the one who splits). With respect to creating and establishing, the meaning of falaq also extends to a new plan or design.

So when we finish reciting the Qur’an, we are armed with its knowledge and, if we were actually paying attention to what we were reciting, can begin to acquire a different outlook on life. Thus we seek refuge in God, for we know that only He can deliver us from Satan’s evil yet alluring traps, all of which are designed to stunt or even terminate our spiritual growth. Given that He is our Lord, we begin by stating: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak” (113:1), thereby acknowledging that there is a power above all other powers, one that controls and manages this world’s affairs. This belief in an absolute power in Whom people can take refuge instills within everyone a high level of confidence and trust that, in turn, increases their internal capacity to do good and overcome difficulties.

From what are we seeking refuge? Apparently from four things:
[113:2] From the evil of that which He has created,

Does God create evil things? No, for there is no evil in His creation. At first glance this assertion appears rather paradoxical, for it is very easy these days to see evil almost wherever we look. The answer is that evil is relative or something “accidental” that arises from phenomena that within themselves are not considered evil. For example, a sheep considers a wolf to be something evil, perhaps the biggest evil there is. But in creation as a whole, is a wolf in and of itself really an evil creature? No, for God has specified a role for it and for all other creatures as well. All creatures feed on each other, whether they live in water, on land, or in the sky. For every creature there is another creature that is “evil,” but overall this is necessary. Thus, in terms of what is called the “big picture,” each creature is “good.” The entire universe is playing a role, and whatever happens within it is good and necessary.

Students may view a test as “evil.” But from another point of view, such as that of revealing their intellectual progress, it is “good.” Tragic events and disasters appear “evil,” but looked at from a different perspective they are considered “good.” Rumi says, “I am truly in love with His wrath and kindness; so strange that I am in love with both of these opposing attributes.”Both wrath and kindness are good. If we look at the world in this way, there is no evil in the absolute sense. For example, if you look at such destructive natural phenomena as earthquakes and floods, you will see that these do in fact have a positive side to them. For example, a snake’s venom cannot be evil for that is how it defends itself. Thus, we should not endanger ourselves by stepping upon it; rather, we should give it a wide berth whenever we come across one. This world contains many “evils” from which one has to seek refuge in God, such as being involved in a car accident. Clearly the car, in and of itself, is not evil.

The second thing is:
[113:3] From the evil of darkness when it enshrouds,

The Qur’an uses ghāsiq (غاسق) many times to refer to a night so dark that everything has been enveloped in darkness: “Keep up prayer from the declining of the Sun until the darkness of the night” (17:78). Ghāsiq can be applied to an animal that has the upper hand over another animal, like an eagle with a pigeon in its claws. Thus this supplication asks Him to protect us from any kind of evil that can overwhelm and then control us, such as a tyrannical and oppressive regime or a bully, both of which forcibly impose themselves upon us and then strip away our freedom and security. When all avenues of escape are closed, we are totally subjected to the ghāsiq’s power.

In 613, when polytheism was dominant and Muslims were being tortured and killed, the Prophet told some of them to go to Ethiopia. Ten years later, he was forced to migrate from Makkah to Madinah at night to save his own life. In this context, “night” conveys the sense of oppression, cruelty, and suffocation found in tyrannical societies. We seek refuge in God from the evil of all tyrants and oppressors; of all ideologies based on superstition, groundless fear, and lies; of jealousy and any evil that is in this world; of anything that closes all avenues to freedom; and from apparently beneficial, but actually harmful (in certain circumstances), items.

The third thing is:
[113:4] From the evil of those who blow on knots,

This idiom had a special meaning within its own time and context. Throughout history, magic and sorcery were rampant and people depended upon magicians to solve their problems. For example, a married couple experiencing problems would write a special text, insert it in an amulet, and then tie it to a place or throw it down a well, like at Jamkerān. Such practices can be found even today. When people imagine that such practices can solve their problems, they prove that blowing on knots is still in vogue. Tying a lock to a pious person’s mausoleum or a piece of cloth to a tree is equivalent to blowing on knots. Instead of seeking refuge in the Lord of the daybreak, they seek help from the graves of noble persons, walls, locks, rocks, and many other “holy” things. We should seek refuge in God from such human frailties, because they can divert us toward polytheism.

The fourth thing is:
[113:5] And from the evil of the envier’s envy.”

So long as we do not instigate or provoke an envious person, we will not have problems. Although many creatures can live side by side with humans without any problem, under special circumstances the former (e.g., a rabid dog) can harm the latter, namely, us. All of us are jealous to some extent and, once provoked, this particular emotion can make other people’s lives miserable. Jealousy seems to be a simple matter; however, history shows that it can be a very destructive force.

History’s first crime, Cain’s (Qābīl) murder of his brother Abel (Hābīl), was the result of Cain’s jealousy, for he asked his brother: “Why is your sacrifice accepted and not mine?” Why did Yu-suf’sbrothers throw him into a well? Because of jealousy, for “Why does our father love him more than us and pays so much attention to him?” Many verses mention the People of the Book’s jealousy toward the Prophet and the Muslims “out of their selfish envy” (2:109), namely, that God chose the last of His prophets from the Arabs instead of the Israelites: “Do they envy (other people) for the bounty God has granted them?” (4:54).Thus the Prophet and the Muslims had to contend with this jealousy.

In this chapter, the Qur’an talks about seeking refuge in God, the creator of humanity and of all talents and hidden life, such as that which is produced by planting a seed. Mystics have understood this issue very well. For example, in one of his beautiful poems Rumi speaks of how a once-buried seed matured, became free, and can now withstand the wind. Ultimately, it will grow into a large tree. The leaves, one by one, split the buds, come out and keep growing skyward. He portrays the tree as praising God: First I was a seed, and then God the Benevolent made me strong and sturdy and gave me an identity. Rumidraws the conclusion that those who are attached and enslaved to this world can free themselves, if they really want to do so. They, like the full Moon at mid-month, can become complete. We are buried just like a seed, but if we can free ourselves we will grow and flourish.

The discussion is about the Lord of the daybreak, the one who breaks open the seed and allows it to bloom and flourish. Rumi continues that this is the situation of the mystics. Others have sought relief by practicing this dance (e.g., the Whirling Dervishes), as in the Turkish city of Konya and elsewhere. However, if they become distracted and lose focus on the dance’s essential purpose, then all they are left with is a type of physical exercise.

According to Rumi, the wheat seed that falls from above and is buried in the soil will emerge strong and rise up high. Likewise, if people of this world, after they have become strong, bring themselves down to earth, they will also be buried in the soil and then grow and rise out of it in multitudes. A sperm in the womb follows the same path. As with fruit seeds, a sperm finds refuge in the safety of the womb until it is ready to emerge and grow stronger. The Qur’an says: “They are living and provided for near their Lord” (3:169).For Rumi, since there is life after being buried in the ground, even death appears to be a pleasant experience because he knows that it means growth and movement toward a new life.

Translator: Amir Douraghy
Editor: Hamid Mavani