The last two Surahs of The Majestic Quran: Surah Al-Falaq and Surah Al-Nas were revealed together in Madinah. Surah Falaq describes the four sources of physical and psychological harm from creation including the visible creatures and the invisible microbes including coronavirus; darkness and what’s hidden in it; the witches and their witchcraft and jealousy. Allah is the only true protector who can shield and prevent harm from them. Aisha the wife of the Messenger (peace be upon him) reported “when the Messenger laid down to sleep, he would recite Surah Ikhlas and these two Surahs (Falaq and Nas) and blow on his palms then wipe over his entire body” (Bukhari).
Surah Al-Falaq – The Daybreak
In the name of Allah, the Kind, the Caring
Say: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the daybreak, from the harm of all His creation, from the harm of the ever-darkening night, from the harm of witches who blow on knots, and from the harm of a jealous person when jealous.”
The next Surah focuses on the harm coming from the open enemy, Satan. It explains how he sneakily tries to influence our hearts and minds. The protection lies in turning to Allah for refuge, shield and shelter.
Surah Al Nas – The People
In the name of Allah, the Kind, the Caring
Say: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the people, the King of the people, the God of the people, from the evil of the sneaking whisperer, who whispers into people’s hearts and minds, from among the jinn or the people.”
How to disable devilish thoughts
Whilst the Quran lays out a clear way of worshipping Allah, what we ought to do and what we ought to avoid, it also teaches us that Satan is out there waiting to pounce on us when we’re off guard and that’s when he attacks.
Here’s a five-point strategy to overcome Satanic attacks, see if you can apply them to your daily life:
- Turn to God, seek Divine protection and say ‘La haula wala quwata…’. Recite Surah Al-Nas and say ‘I believe in Allah and His Messenger, He is the first and the last, the manifest and the hidden, the one who knows everything.’ The thought will disappear immediately. In a hadith, a man complained about Satanic thoughts whilst he was in prayer, the Messenger (peace be upon him) gave him the following tip, ‘When you have these thoughts, raise your right index finger and strike the left thigh with it and say ‘Bismillah’ this will go like a knife through Satan.’
- Don’t pay attention to evil thoughts, don’t act on them instead oppose them. This tempter has the habit of increasing his attacks, the more he is welcomed. However, as soon as he is opposed, he runs away. His temptation is fickle. Satan does all kinds of tricks to tempt people. Therefore, we must be aware and wide awake otherwise he will take control.
- Despite all these attempts if the Satanic thoughts continue to come and make you doubtful about an issue then reject them. Say “O filthy Satan, you are a liar!” “We have appointed for every Messenger an enemy: the Satans among men and jinn, who inspire one another with ineffective and glossed falsehoods” (Anam: 112). Scholars believe that the Satans among men are more dangerous than the Jinn Satans. Amongst these human Satans are the false preachers who sow doubts in the minds of Muslims through their false teachings.
- Satan puts doubts in your mind that you have not done a particular task well enough or perfectly, your response should be “shariah has given dispensation and that is sufficient for me, perfection is not demanded of me, I have done what was feasible and within my means! May my Lord accept it and have mercy on me.”
- The final treatment of satanic thoughts is to set fire to them. When all treatments have failed the surgeon decides to cut off the limb. Amputation is the final action. If all the above methods fail, just say: “Oh accursed Satan! It doesn’t matter if my wudu is broken or I have just prayed three rakats (instead of four), I am happy as it is but I won’t obey you!” This is a powerful way of uprooting satanic thoughts. By Divine grace, the enemy will be defeated and humiliated.
