and need for his Lord, while acknowledging His majesty and greatness and affirming His magnificent attributes and noble qualities. He then stated his need and request: that Allah protect him from every evil. Thus he said: “I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul, from the evil of Satan and the polytheism to which he calls, and from committing evil against myself or bringing it upon a Muslim.” This combines seeking refuge in Allah from the roots and sources of evil with seeking refuge from its ultimate consequences and outcomes. Commenting on this hadith, Ibn al-Qayyim—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “He—that is, the Prophet ﷺ—mentioned the two sources of evil: the soul and Satan. He also mentioned the two places where it ends and its two ultimate outcomes: its consequences returning upon oneself or upon one’s Muslim brother. Thus, in the most concise, succinct, comprehensive, and lucid wording, the hadith encompasses the sources of evil and where it ultimately leads.”1. Thus, the hadith contains a plea for Allah’s protection from four matters related to evil:

The first is the evil of the soul, for the evil of the soul gives rise to wicked deeds, sins, and transgressions.

The second is the evil of Satan. Satan’s enmity toward man is well known: he incites him to commit acts of disobedience and sins and stirs up falsehood within his soul and heart.

The words “and the polytheism to which he calls” mean the polytheism to which Satan summons people. It is also narrated with a different vocalization meaning “and his snares”—that is, his traps.

The third is that a person commits evil against himself. This is one of the consequences of evil that returns upon the person himself.

The fourth is that he brings evil upon the Muslims. This is another consequence of evil, one that affects others.

The hadith brings together seeking refuge in Allah from all of this. How comprehensive this hadith is, how profound its meaning, and how perfectly it encompasses deliverance from every evil!