what Allah has forbidden—has fallen into what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, whether unbelief, wickedness, or disobedience. Rather, everyone must do what Allah and His Messenger have commanded and refrain from what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.

Among the forms of seeking refuge prescribed by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, are the following. It is authentically reported from him in the Sahīh that he said:

“Whoever recites the Verse of the Throne when retiring to bed will remain under the protection of a guardian from Allah, and no devil will approach him until morning.”

The Sunan collections report that he used to teach his Companions to say:

“I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, from the evil of His servants, from the incitements of the devils, and from their presence.”

“When the devils came to him with a flame of fire, he instructed that refuge be sought with these words: ‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the wicked can overstep, from the evil of what He has created and brought into being; from the evil of what descends from heaven and what ascends into it; from the evil of what He has brought forth upon the earth and what emerges from it; from the trials of night and day; and from the evil of every visitor by night, except one who comes bringing good, O Most Merciful.’”

The scholars have compiled ample remembrances and supplications for a servant to recite in the morning, in the evening, when going to sleep, when afraid of something, and on similar occasions. Whoever follows such a path has followed the path of Allah’s allies, who shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. But whoever enters upon the path of the followers of jibt and tāghūt—a path involving associating partners with Allah and sorcery—has lost both this world and the Hereafter. For this, censure was pronounced by