Chapter: Seeking Refuge in Other Than Allah Is an Act of Shirk

Allah the Exalted says: “And there were men from mankind who used to seek refuge with men from the jinn, so they only increased them in burden.” (Qur’an, 72:6)

Relevance of this chapter to the Book of Tawḥīd: it identifies a form of shirk that contradicts pure monotheism—namely, seeking refuge in anyone besides Allah—so that it may be recognized and avoided.

istiʿādhah (seeking refuge): Linguistically, it means to seek shelter, protection, or safeguard. In essence, it is to flee from something you fear to one who can protect you from it.

“yaʿūdhūna”: For example, when a man spent the night in a valley and feared the jinn, he would say, “I seek refuge with the chief of this valley from the foolish among his people.”

“rahqan”: fear—or, alternatively, sin.

Overall meaning of the verse: Allah informs us that some human beings used to turn to certain jinn for protection from what they feared. Yet those in whom they sought refuge only increased them in dread rather than granting them safety. Thus they were repaid with the very opposite of what they intended, as a divine punishment.

Relevance of the verse to the chapter: Allah relates that when the believing jinn understood the religion of the Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) and embraced it, they mentioned acts of shirk that had been common among humans in the Age of Ignorance—chief among them seeking refuge in anyone other than Allah. This was