Surah Falaq

Surah naas and Surah Falq are also interlinked very closely. Sarah Falq and Surah naas were revealed simultaneously by Allah. The vast majority considers these two Surahs madni because of the narrations about these Surahs. After Sulah Hudaiybiya, Makkans did not remain the biggest power and enemy, because Jews were a bigger problem in Madinah. The Makkans tried to engage in offence against Prophet SAWW. Labeeed bin Asim, was a member of Banu Quraiza and one of the best magicians. The people of Khyber came soliciting his help. He paid one of the servants of Prophet SAWW who brought to him a couple of hairs from the Prophet SAWW's comb and he does magic on it and then put it at the bottom of a well zoo arwaaan and buried it. Prophet SAWW felt mentally and physically disturbed and he became forgetful and felt burdened. He told Hazrat Ayesha RA that he was suffering from magic and two angels came in the form of human beings to him in a dream, and they said that sorcery has been done on him. They told Labeed bin Asim had done magic and how he did it. These angels recited 11 ayahs Surah Falq and Naas and told him to recite it on the 11 knots one by one and open the knots. After that he felt relieved and felt as if an ailment was removed. Some people say that the narration does not prove that the Surahs are madnee as they might have been revealed in Makkah period and the angels only reminded Prophet SAWW to recite them. 

If we accept that Prophet SAWW was affected by magic, does that justify when people say that Prophet SAWW was involved in magic? NO. Prophet SAWW was not a magician but it is possible that he is affected by magic. If magic can have an affect on someone, does that mean that Allah does not have ultimate power? NO. Allah does have ultimate power but he lets things happen and he allows evil things to happen sometimes just to test people. e.g. Allah can allow magic to happen. Allah himself mentions magic and he mentions Harut and Marut two angels who used to teach magic and say we are just here to test you so don't try magic as it is kufr. But those people still learnt magic and still practised it and Allah punished them. But no one can harm EXCEPT if Allah lets people harm someone.

This is a miracle of the Quran because no one was aware of this magic before, but Allah clearly specified that they are doing magic on knots. There was no way of knowing this except wahy.

One sahaaabi thought these two Surahs are not part of the Quran, and they are Allah's word but just for protection and not a part of the Quran. But the majority is not of this opinion. Several narrations prove it. It is very common for sahaba to have an opinion that is different from all other opinions. SO we follow the majority and this should not confuse us. This also does not make any sahaba any less than others as it is an intellectual disagreement.

The one who's protection we are seeking is Mustaaz bihi and the one we are seeking protection from/escaping from is Mustaaz minhuu. Sarah Falq has many mustaaz minhu and one mustaaz bihi and Surah Naas has many descriptions of Mustaaz bihi and one Mustaaz mind. Sarah Falq is about things that are not under our control and those evils are outward and Surah naas is about actions of human beings and internal evils. Inward evils are stronger so a stronger protection and more desperate plea is made in Surah naas as its a bigger danger.

The first evil mentioned is from the one who was created, then from the night, and then from the one who blows on knots/sorcery so the evils shift from more generalised to more specific. 

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ (Arabic)

Translation: Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of al-Falaq. (Sūrat al-Falaq 113:1)

QUL has a different meaning in different contexts. Here, Allah wants humans to acknowledge their weakness in front of Allah as an act of humility. Qul removes arrogance, ujub and ego. Even ego is a kind of shirk. This is also a manifestation of our ikhlaas and sincerity. QUL is a command and when we follow it, we obey Allah. We can't ask Allah's help without obeying him so Qul teaches us to obey Allah. Musaa AS said to Allah that I seek refuge from Allah from everyone who has arrogance and who does not believe in the day of accounting. Arrogance comes when one's imaan is weak in the final day. 

Istaaza means to cling to someone for protection because of fear of unseen dangers. Ijaara is the word used for protection against physical SEEN enemies. But Istaaza is for unseen enemies and intangible evil forces. Maaaz is a place where we find refuge e.g. when we say Maaaz Allah.

Aoozu means seeking refuge. It means we submit and give ourselves to Allah SWT for refuge and protection.

Falq means to rip something or tear something open. It is used for morning because the rays pierce the darkness(daybreak). Falq is also used for a seed when it rips open and a plant comes out. Falq is also used for rain coming out of clouds. It is also used for children which come out of womb. Falq includes all creation because all creation came OUT of something so it has the meaning of falq.  

Rabaul Falq means that Allah owns the creation. This links it to Surah Ikhlaas because Surah Ikhlaas had the adjective Samad(the one who everybody needs but He is not in need of anyone).  Surah Falq is the practical manifestation of Samad as we seek Allah and need him. Falq can also mean tearing problems open and expanding things for us by making ease. 

Evil has always been associated with darkness and Towheed is associated with nooor. This Surah is about all evils which signify darkness, so ALLAH rips through the darkness by beginning the Surah with Falq which is the daybreak and the light tearing through all the darkness. Shirk is also darkness, and zulm means darkness literally and injustice figuratively, hence the ayah inna shirkaa lazulmun azeem.

One hadith also says that Falq is a door in hell which when opens, the heat tears everything apart. another narration says that Falq is a terrible prison in hell so even hell seeks refuge from it. So Falq can also mean punishment. The people who act on evils, their punishment is Falaq as Allah is the master of Falq.

113:2

From the evil of that which He created

Sharr is the opposite of Khayr. 

Beesaa means when we think something is deplorable and it's opposite is Nemaa. 

Saa-aa is something that is ugly/deformed/hideous and it's opposite is hasuna. (Sayyiaat and hasanaat)

Sharr universally and unanimously means something that is harmful and evil. Sharaara is the spark of the flame that can burn us. Sharr is basically the absence of good, just like darkness is the absence of light. 

We seek refuge from the evil of what he has created, which implies that sharr exists in every creation, and everything Allah has created can have harm in it. 

113:3

And from the evil of darkness when it settles

Ghasaq is the darkness after the sun sets. Ghaasiq is also used for that which sinks and disappears so it can even be used for the sun and the moon. Ghasaq can also be used for the dark sky when heavy rain is going to occur or for eyes which are dark because of crying. 

Shayateen come out at night so night is a very dangerous time. Most sins are committed at night. 

Waqab also refers to getting dark. Darkness is mentioned again to refer to so much darkness that things become invisible. It is like a ditch in the mountain at night. So there are hidden evils in the dark which can catch us off guard. 

Ghaasiq is also used for moon because scientifically it is hypothesised that full moon often ignites certain evil aggressive behaviours and there are also many fantasy myths about it. Even lunatic comes from lunar. 

We should try to stay at home at night and try to maximally avoid it.

113:4

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

Naffasaat refers to women who blow on knots.  It can also be used to refer to groups which blow on knots together. Naffasa means to blow softly with some spit coming out, nafakha means to blow strongly like the blowing of the trumpet. Nafasa with a seen means to take a breath.

113:5

And from the evil of an envier when he envies."

Root of all the evils is mentioned at the end. Jealousy and Hasad leads to the evils mentioned previously. We can't stand others getting promotions or being superior to us. Children become jealous immediately so it is very important to curb this since the very beginning. Haasid is a hidden quality because it shows that the person has an element of hasad and hasada refers to him actively doing hasad. This is specifically about those who were jealous of the Prophet SAWW and even did magic because of it. Hasad is an unseen harm.

There is no room for jealousy in Islam except for a man who was given wealth and he is exhausting himself in destroying it in Allah's path, so he has an exceptional drive to GIVE. So we can do rashkk on such a person.It's hard for such a person to hold on to his money. Second is that person who has been given ilm by Allah and he teaches people wisdom. Wisdom is different from knowledge.

People even have jealousy in deeen. They compete negatively with people who are ahead of them in anyway in deep. Second jealousy exists among non muslims and kuffaar against muslims and they wish to drive muslims away from Islam. But our response should be to pardon people, forget it happened until Allah comes with his decision which will be ultimate. So we should not get fired up if nonmuslims plot something against us in jealousy.

Allah mentioned these specific sharrs because they have the potential to cause the most harm.

 

Why did Allah put alif lama before some evils and not before others e.g. haasidin, ghaasiqin, al-naffasaat? Allah made naffasaat proper because every single one of them is evil. Ghassiq is general because not every dark night is necessarily evil. Similarly, haasid may try to act on evil but may not necessarily do so. Secondly, this surah is specifically for nafasaat who did magic on Prophet SAWW so it has alif laam. 

Imagine a farmer has a farm or a garden but insects or animals eat from that garden and destroy it. This is also a form of harm although the intentions are not evil. So when we seek protection from what Allah has created, it also includes these evils. Suppose he plants it in a place where there is no obstruction and no hidden problem, so this refers to the hidden problems that can face the person int he darkness of the night(ghaasiq). Then the last thing that can happen is that a person becomes overwhelms from outside sources just like a plant can be destroyed by flooding. The last evil that can occur is through an enemy so then the gardener seeks protection from such an enemy. So just like a gardener tries to protect his plant, we are taught to seek protection from all kinds of evil that can harm us.