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Dawat ul Quran

Quran Translation and Commentary by Shams Pirzada
Translation in English by Abdul Karim Shaikh

Quran Translation
Word for Word by
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh
& Kausar Khatri

Introduction
1. Al-Fatihah
2. Al-Baqarah
3. Al-Imran
4. Al-Nisa
5. Al-Maidah
6. Al-Anam
7. Al-Araf
8. Al-Anfal
9. Al-Taubah
10. Yunus
11. Hud
12. Yusuf
13. Al-Rad
14. Ibrahim
15. Al-Hijr
16. Al-Nahl
17. Bani Israil
18. Al-Kahf
19. Maryam
20. Ta-Ha
21. Al-Anbiya
22. Al-Hajj
23. Al-Muminun
24. An-Nur
25. Al-Furqan
26. Ash-Shuara
27. An-Naml
28. Al-Qasas
29. Al-Ankabut
30. Ar-Rum
31. Luqman
32. As-Sajdah
33. Al-Ahzab
34. Saba
35. Fatir
36. Yasin
37. As-Saffat
38. Saad
39. Az-Zumar
40. Al-Mumin
41. Ha-Meem-As-Sajdah
42. AShura
43. Az-Zukhruf
44. Ad-Dukhan
45. Al-Jathiyah
46. Al-Ahqaf
47. Muhammad
48. Al-Fath
49. Al-Hujurat
50. Al-Qaf
51. Adh-Dhariyat
52. At-Tur
53. An-Najm
54. Al-Qamar
55. Al-Rahman
56. Al-Waqiah
57. Al-Hadid
58. Al-Mujadalah
59. Al-Hashr
60. Al-Mumtahinah
61. As-Saff
62. Al-Jumuah
63. Al-Munafiqun
64. Al-Taghabun
65. At-Talaq
66. At-Tahrim
67. Al-Mulk
68. Al-Qalam
69. Al-Haqqah
70. Al-Maarij
71. Nuh
72. Al-Jinn
73. Al-Muzzammil
74. Al-Muddhththir
75. Al-Qiyamah
76. Ad-Dahr
77. Al-Mursalat
78. An-Naba
79. An-Naziat
80. Abas
81. At-Takwir
82. Al-Infitar
83. At-Tatfif
84. Al-Inshiqaq
85. Al-Buruj
86. At-Tariq
87. Al-Ala
88. Al-Ghashiyah
89. Al-Fajr
90. Al-Balad
91. Ash-Shams
92. Al-Lail
93. Ad-Duha
94. Al-Inshirah
95. At-Tin
96. Al-Alaq
97. Al-Qadr
98. Al-Bayyinah
99. Az-Zilzal
100. Al-Adiyat
101. Al-Qariah
102. At-Takathur
103. Al-Asr
104. Al-Humazah
105. Al-Fil
106. Al-Quraish
107. Al-Maun
108. Al-Kauthar
109. Al-Kafirun
110. An-Nasr
111. Al-Lahab
112. Al-Ikhlas
113. Al-Falaq
114. An-Nas
Surah 114. An-Nas
Verses [Section]: 1-6[1]

Quran Text of Verse 1-6
114. An-Nasبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِقُلْSayاَعُوْذُI seek refugeبِرَبِّin (the) Lordالنَّاسِۙ(of) mankind مَلِكِ(The) Kingالنَّاسِۙ(of) mankind اِلٰهِ(The) Godالنَّاسِۙ(of) mankind مِنْFromشَرِّ(the) evilالْوَسْوَاسِ ۙ۬(of) the whispererالْخَنَّاسِ۪ۙthe one who withdraws الَّذِیْThe one whoیُوَسْوِسُwhispersفِیْinصُدُوْرِ(the) breastsالنَّاسِۙ(of) mankind مِنَFromالْجِنَّةِthe jinnوَ النَّاسِ۠and men
Translation of Verse 1-6
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. Say;1 I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, 2

2. The King of mankind3,

3. The God of mankind, 4

4. From the evil of the sneaking whisperer, 5

5. Who casts evil suggestions in the breasts (hearts) of mankind6,

6. (Whisperer) Among Jinn and among mankind. 7


Commentary

1. The first addressee of this Verse is the Prophet. The commencement of the Surah with the word Qul (Say) is the proof of the fact that these are the revealed words, and the Prophet has conveyed Allah’s Message in the same words in which it was received by him. Not a single word of the revealed message was dropped by him, not even the word Qul (Say). This is the clear proof of the holy Quran being the revelation from God, word by word.

2. Lord of mankind means the Cherisher of all people and the Real Master. The Verse means that the God who is the Lord of mankind is also the Giver of refuge. There is no other Giver of refuge beside Him, therefore I turn to him for seeking refuge.

Similar subject matter is also found in the Zabur:

“Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge, I say to the Lord, ‘Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee. (Psalms 16:1,2)

It may be noted that the literal meaning of the word ‘Aoo’zu’ is I take refuge, which is expressive of the fact that the slave not only seeks refuge in God but he has also placed himself under his protection and shelter, and has taken his support. Since the two Surahs, Falaq and Nas, are Surahs of prayer, and generally on such occasions the idiom of seeking refuge is used., we have translated the word “Aoo’zu” as I seek refuge.

3. That is: God is the real King of mankind, therefore, He is fully capable of protecting His slaves, and therefore, I take the support of the Most Powerful Being.

This shows that as Allah’s rule is established on the earth and the skies, in the same way it is also established on mankind. There is no group of humans on whom His rule is not established, therefore it is against reality if some group thinks it-self independent of His sovereignty. Such an attitude does not alter the reality, but it does change man’s conduct, that is: man becomes transgressor in his field of activity.

4. That is: In reality the God of all mankind is Allah, and His being worthy of worship by all is the demand of His being the Lord and King. It is another thing if people have deviated from this reality and have made others beside Allah as their gods. The Being that deserves to be worshipped is Allah, and the attribute of being worthy of worship in this universe is His alone. It is He who is worshipped in the heavens and also on the earth, and therefore there is none beside, Him worthy of worship by the humans.

When the slave, thinking Allah to be the Lord, King and God, prays for refuge, He accepts it, In other words, for the acceptance of the prayer of refuge the belief in the oneness Allah (Tawheed) is essential.

5. Waswasah means to cast a bad thought in someone’s heart imperceptibly, and. Waswas means one who indulges in this act of casting bad thought in others’ hearts, etc. This is a quality of Satan, and his another quality is khannas. which is derived from the word Khunus. which means hiding, disappearing, and withdrawing. Its other meaning is shrinking.

When Satan wants to induce a man to commit a sin, he presents that sin in a beautiful form and assures him of a pleasant end. This thing enters man’s heart in the form of waswasah (secret bad thought), and when the man goes under his influence, this thought takes a firm shape and then is converted into action. The first act of casting bad thought or creating doubts in the heart was practiced by Satan on Adam and Hawwa (Eve):

“Then the Satan whispered suggestions to them, so that he may discover to them their shameful part that were hidden from them (before); he said: “Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest you should become angels or such beings as live for ever. And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.” (Al-A’raf-20,21)

This is a clear example of how Satan comes as a well wisher and how he induces humans in an attractive way to commit sin. Although he had appeared before Adam and Hawwa, but in the world his machinations are carried out as attacks of a sneaking enemy, therefore man does not know about his mischief, However, in his heart he is conscious about these bad thoughts. But to act or not on these bad thoughts depends on man’s own decision. If he is awake and alert about his enemy, then the satanic machinations have no effect on him, and if he is neglectful, he is influenced by it. A man’s heart is awake only when the remembrance of God is in it. Remembrance of Allah and reciting his words is the most effective weapon of defence for men. Using this weapon, when he seeks Allah’s refuge from the evil of satanic machinations, then they become quite effective, and Satan has to return disappointed. The purport of the verse is to alert man against the secret activities of Satan, so that man may be watchful against his enemy and may make preparation for his protection.

This is the general aspect of the meaning of this verse. The special aspect, with reference to context, is particularly this fact that the greatest danger to the guidance which has been provided to the people of faith in the form of Quran is from the machinations of instilling fancies by Satan, that is: he can put such thoughts in the heart which create doubts and misgivings about Quran and which deviate him from the path of guidance, particularly about the belief in the Oneness of Allah, which is the basis of religion and the real spirit of Quran. The machinations of Satan can be only against this, therefore it “is absolutely necessary to be wary of the tricks of the enemy and of safeguarding the belief and the religion.

6. To create doubts in the hearts is according to the common idiom, but the actual word used is ‘sudoor’, which is plural of ‘sadar’, which means breast. The target of machinations of Satan is man’s inner self, that is his breast. Breast is like a doorstep for the heart, from which doubts and evil thoughts enter the heart. Allama Ibn Qayyim has explained it very ably:

“This point is worth considering that Allah has said:

“Who casts evil suggestion in the breasts of mankind, “ and did not say he who casts evil suggestion and doubts, in the hearts,” because breast is the compound of the heart and its house, from where the feelings and thoughts enter and collect in the breast and then enter the heart, that is, first they gather in the breast and thereafter enter the heart. Therefore, the breast is like a threshold for the heart. All commands and intentions come from the heart and then enter the breast and from there they are distributed among their armies (helpers).(Tafseer Al-Mu’a- vvizatain Ibne Qaiyyim.p.66)

That is: the doubts and evil thoughts do not enter the heart directly, but enter through the breast, as if Satan’s arrows lodge in the breast, and their poisonous effect affects the heart only when the heart is sleeping the slumber of neglect; otherwise if the heart is awake with the remembrance of Allah, it defends itself and remains safe from the poisonous effect.

7. That is: The devil who casts doubts in the hearts of men is not only Satan (Iblees) but there are many devils among the Jinn and men who go on doing this work:

“Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,--evil ones among men and Jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.”(Al-An’am -112)

So far as the devils from the Jinn are concerned. their launching attacks stealthily is obvious. As regards the devils from among men. when they indulge in their machinations, they hide their reality about being devils. Therefore they appear as the well wishers of men because they know that their suggestion and advice would be welcome only when they pose as well wishers and sincere advisers. If they come in their real form as the evil-lovers, none would be prepared to listen to them.

Here it should be understood that in connection with spreading the evil the main role is of the devils from among the Jinns, whose chief is “Iblees”, and the human devils are their servants.