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The Ruling of Isti`aadhah (Seeking Refuge)
Allaah says,
"Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good and turn away from the foolish. And
if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with
Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." [Al-A`raaf (THE HEIGHTS)
(7): 199-200]
"Repel evil by means of what is best. We are best Acquainted with the things
that they utter. And say, 'My Lord! I seek refuge with you from the
whisperings of the devils and I seek refuge with you my Lord lest they come
near me.'" [Al-Mu`minoon (THE BELIEVERS) (23): 96-98]
"Repel [evil] with that which is better then indeed the one, between whom
and you there was enmity, [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.
But none is granted [this quality] except those who are patient and none is
granted it save one who possesses a great portion [of high moral character].
And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with
Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing." [Fussilaat (EXPLAINED IN
DETAIL) (41): 34-46]
These verses command the servant of Allaah to seek refuge with Him from the
accursed Shaytaan due to the severe enmity he displays towards mankind and
displayed towards their father, Aadam (AS). Allaah says,
"O Children of Aadam! Let not Shaytaan deceive you, as he removed your
parents out of Paradise." [Al-A`raaf (THE HEIGHTS)(7): 27]
Ibn al-Jawzee said,
Servants of Allaah! Contemplate on the removal of your father, Aadam from
Paradise, the home of security and his descent to the home of disgrace and
abasement. The reason for this was none other than the accursed Shaytaan.
Your Master has prohibited you from obeying him (shaytaan) and ordered you
to disobey him (shaytaan). Indeed in his (shaytaan) obedience lies the
Displeasure of ar-Rahmaan and disobeying him (shaytaan) necessitates
residing in Paradise and the descent of Pleasure.
Allaah, Glorified and Exalted, said, "Shaytaan threatens you with poverty
and orders you to immorality." [Al-Baqarah (THE COW) (2): 268]
So whosoever obeys him (shaytaan), he forsakes him and diverts him from the
guidance and opens in his heart the doors to misguidance and ignominy. [Ibn
al-Jawzee, 'Bustaan al-Waa`idheen' [pg. 27]]
Allaah further explains to us the extreme enmity of Shaytaan with His words,
"Indeed Shaytaan is an open enemy to you so take him as an enemy. He invites
his followers only that they may become the denizens of the blazing Fire."
[Faatir (THE ANGELS, ORIGNATOR) (35): 6]
"Will you then take him and his offspring as friends and protectors besides
Him while they are open enemies to you? Wretched it is as an exchange for
the wrong-doers." [Al-Kahf (THE CAVE) (18): 50]
Indeed Shaytaan took an oath saying,
"By Your Might! I will surely misguide them all, except Your chosen slaves
amongst them." [Saad (THE LETTER SAD) (38): 82-83]
It is for this reason that we have been encouraged to seek refuge with
Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan. With regards to reciting the Qur`aan,
Allaah says,
"When you wish to read [lit: have read] the Qur`aan then seek refuge with
Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan. Indeed he has no power over those who
believe and put their trust only in their Lord. His power is only over those
who follow him and join partners with Him." [An-Nahl (THE BEE) (16):
98-100]
A group of the reciters and scholars, from amongst them Hamza, ibn Seereen,
Ibraaheem an-Nakha`ee and Daawood adh-Dhaahiree, were of the opinion that
one seeks refuge after the completion of recitation, taking to the literal
sense of this verse. They also stated that the reason for doing so would be
to repress self-astonishment at the completion of an action of worship.
A second opinion voiced is that one seeks refuge before and after ones
recitation. However the famous, well-known opinion, which is the opinion of
the majority is that one seeks refuge before recitation in order to
safeguard oneself from the whisperings of Shaytaan. This groups understood
the meaning of the verse to be, "when you wish to read the Qur`aan." in the
same sense as the verse,
"When you intend to stand for prayer [lit: have stood for prayer], then wash
your faces and forearms." [Al-Maa`idah (THE TABLE, THE TABLE SPREAD) (5):
6]
Abu Daawood reports from Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree that,
When the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) stood at night [for prayer, he would
commence the prayer] by saying the takbeer and then saying,
"SubhaanakAllaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarrakasmuka, wa ta`aalaa jadduka,
wa laa ilaaha ghayruk." [You are glorified O Allaah and praised! Your Name
is Blessed; Your Majesty is Exalted and none has the right to be worshipped
save You.] Then he would say, "laa ilaaha illAllaah" [There is none worthy
of worship save You] three times, then he would say, "Allaahu Akbar" three
times and then he would say, "A`oodhu billaahi as-Samee` al-Aleem min
ash-Shaytaanir Rajeem - min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafthihi" [I take refuge
with Allaah, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing from the accursed Shaytaan:
from his madness, arrogance and poetry. The hadeeth is reported by Abu
Daawood [Eng. Trans. 1/198 no. 774] and others and it is in 'Saheeh Abu
Daawood' [no. 701]]
Abu Daawood reports from Naafi` bin Jubair from his father who said,
I saw the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) saying when he entered into prayer,
"Allaahu Akbar Kabeera" [Allaah is the Greatest, very great] three times,
"Alhamdulillaahi Katheera" [Praise and thanks be to Allaah, again and again]
three times and "SubhaanAllaahi Bukratan wa Aseela" [Glorified is Allaah,
morning and evening] three times. Then he said, "Allaahumma innee A`udhubika
mina ash-Shaytaan, min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafathi"
[O Allaah! I take refuge with You from Shaytaan - from his madness,
arrogance and poetry. The hadeeth is reported by Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans.
1/196 no. 763.] and ibn Maajah [no. 807]. It has been ruled to be da`eef
with this wording by Al-Albaanee in 'Da`eef Abu Daawood' [no. 160], 'Da`eef
ibn Maajah' [no. 173] and 'Irwaa`' [2/54] However there is a saheeh hadeeth
reported by ibn Maajah [no. 808] from ibn Mas`ud that the Messenger of
Allaah (SAW) used to say the above words of seeking refuge when he entered
the prayer. Refer to 'Saheeh ibn Maajah' [no. 658] and 'Irwaa`' [2/55] As
for the supplication then it is authentically reported in Saheeh Muslim that
it was said without the repetitions by one of the Companions in prayer upon
which the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, "wonderful for it [the
supplication] is that the doors of heaven were opened for it."]
The majority of scholars are of the opinion of that isti`aadha is
recommended and not obligatory. However it is reported from `Ataa bin Abee
Rabaah that it is obligatory to say it within the prayer and outside the
prayer when one desires to recite the Book of Allaah. Ar-Raazee stated that
the proof for this opinion was that the verse, "seek protection with Allaah"
is mentioned in the imperative, that the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) persisted
in uttering it throughout his life and that it serves as a protective
barrier from Shaytaan - therefore if an obligation can only be fulfilled by
a particular means then that means also becomes an obligation.
Isti`aadha (Seeking Refuge) is for the recitation in prayer - this being the
opinion of Abu Haneefah and Muhammad. As such it is to be said before one
starts reciting al-Faatihah. Shaykh Mashur Hasan Salmaan said,
It is clear that isti`aadha (Seeking Refuge) is legislated in every rak`ah
[of prayer]. This due to the generality of His saying, "When you wish to
read the Qur`aan then seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan."
This is the most correct opinion of the Shaafi`ee school and declared to be
the strongest opinion by ibn Hazm. [Mashur Hasan Salmaan, 'Al-Qawl al-Mubeen
fee Akhta`i al-Musalleen' [pg. 109]. Refer also to an-Nawawee, 'al-Majmu`'
[3/323]; al-Albaanee, 'Tamaam al-Minnah' [pp. 176-177]]
Reference:
Tafseer of Surah al-Fatihah, compiled by Abu Rumaysah,(This commentary is a
compilation gathered from a number of commentaries written.) These being:
Tafseer at-Tabaree
Tafseer al-Qurtubi [Jaami lil Ahkaam al-Qur`aan]
Tafseer ibn Katheer
Tafseer ash-Shawkanee [Fath al-Qadeer]
Tafseer as-Sa`dee [Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan]
Tafseer ash-Shanqeetee [Adwaa al-Bayaan fee Eedaah al-Qur`aan bil Qur`aan].
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