[Commentary]

These two hadiths explain what a person should say when he is travelling and stops at a campsite. In the report of Khawlah bint Ḥakīm (may Allah be pleased with her) the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever alights at a place and says, ‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created,’ nothing will harm him until he departs from that spot.”

His words “alights at a place” are broad in scope. They include anyone who, while on a journey, pauses to rest—whether for lunch, dinner, sleep, or any other purpose. Whenever he halts he should say: “I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.”

“I seek refuge” means, “I take shelter in the perfect words of Allah.” These perfect words encompass both His cosmic words and His legislative words. The cosmic words are described in His statement: “His command, when He wills a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is” (Q 36:82). By such cosmic words Allah protects you and drives away whatever might harm you when you utter this supplication.

The legislative words are the revelation, and they provide safety from every harm and evil—protection before the harm descends. Concerning this preventive protection, it is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that whoever recites Āyat al-Kursī at night will have a guardian from Allah over him and no devil will come near him until morning. As for protection after the harm has already occurred, then