Commentary on Sūrat al-Nās

“In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.”

“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers into the hearts of mankind, from among jinn and mankind.”

The basmala has already been discussed.

“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind.” He is Allah, Glorified and Exalted. He is the Lord of mankind and of all else: the Lord of mankind, the angels, the jinn, the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, and everything. Mankind, however, is mentioned specifically because it is pertinent to the context.

“The King of mankind”—that is, the Sovereign who possesses supreme authority over mankind and complete power to govern their affairs—is Allah, Glorified and Exalted.

“The God of mankind”—that is, the One whom they worship. The One truly worthy of worship, whom hearts worship, love, and exalt, is Allah, Glorified and Exalted.

“From the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers into the hearts of mankind, from among jinn and mankind.” The scholars have said that “whisperer” is expressed as a verbal noun but is intended to mean the agent—that is, the one who whispers. Whispering consists of thoughts, delusions, and imaginings cast into the heart that have no reality.

“The retreating one” is the one who shrinks back, is defeated, turns away, and retreats when Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is mentioned. This is Satan. Thus, when the call to prayer is made, Satan turns and flees, breaking wind so that he will not hear the call. Once the call has ended, he returns. When the iqāma for prayer is pronounced, he turns and flees again; then, when the iqāma has ended, he returns and comes between a person and his own thoughts, saying, “Remember such-and-such,”