The Holy Qur'an/Nas
| Al-Falaq | The Holy Qur'an 114. Nās, or Mankind , translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali |
| 1934. |
Introduction and Summary
This early Meccan Sūra is a pendant to the last Sūra, and concludes the Holy Qur-ān, with an appeal to us to trust in God, rather than man, as our sure shield and protection. It warns us specially against the secret whispers of evil within our hearts.
With God seek refuge from all inner ill, 114:1-6
C. 294.(114:1-6)—Insidious Evil lies in wait
For man, and loves to whisper and withdraw,
Thus testing his will. But man can make
God his sure shield; for God doth care
For him and cherishes him: God is
The heavenly King who gives him laws:
And God is the Goal to which he will
Return and be judged. Let man but place
Himself in God’s hands, and never can Evil
Touch him in his essential and inner life.
Sūra 114.
Nās, or Mankind
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
1 Say: I seek refuge[1] with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,[2]
2 The King (or Ruler) of Mankind,
3 The God (or Judge) of Mankind,—
4 From the mischief of the Whisperer[3] (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),—
5 (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,—
6 Among Jinns and among Men.[4]
Translator's Notes
- ↑ 6307. The previous Sūra pointed to the necessity of seeking God’s protection against external factors which might affect an individual. Here the need of protection from internal factors, mankind being viewed as a whole, is pointed out. For this reason the threefold relation in which man stands to God is mentioned, as explained in the next note.
- ↑ 6308. Man’s relation to God may be viewed in three aspects: (1) God is his Lord, Maker, and Cherisher; God sustains him and cares for him; He provides him with all the means for his growth and development, and for his protection against evil; (2) God is his king or ruler; more than any earthly king, God has authority to guide man’s conduct, and lead him to ways which will make for his welfare; and He has given him laws; and (3) God is He to Whom mankind must return, to give an account of all their deeds in this life (2:156); God will be the Judge; He is the goal of the Hereafter, and the only Being entitled to man’s worship at any time. From all these aspects man could and should seek God’s protection against evil.
- ↑ 6309. Evil insinuates itself in all sorts of insidious ways from within so as to sap man’s will, which was given to man by God. This power of evil may be Satan or his host of evil ones, or evil men or the evil inclinations within man’s own will: for there are “evil ones among men and Jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception” (6:112). They secretly whisper evil and then withdraw, to make their net the more subtle and alluring.
- ↑ 6310. This last clause amplifies the description of the sources from which the whisper of evil may emanate: they may be men whom you may see or invisible spirits of evil working within. See last note. So long as we put ourselves in God’s protection, and trust in God, evil cannot really touch us in our essential and inner life.
