Surah al-Falaq, or « Dawn, » is the 113th and penultimate surah of the Quran. It is a short surah, consisting of only five verses, seeking refuge with Allah from the evil of Satan. Surah an-Nas and Surah al-Falaq are collectively known as al-Mu’awwidhatayn, or « Verses of Refuge. »
This article provides the complete translation and tafsir of Surah al-Falaq, along with the Arabic text.
First, the complete Arabic text of Surah al-Falaq:
Translation
- Say: « I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak,
- against the evil of the beings He created,
- against the evil of darkness when it deepens,
- against the evil of those who blow [the witches] on knots,
- and against the evil of the envious when they envy. »
- Let us now look at the surah in detail, verse by verse.
Tafsir
1. Say, « I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak,
There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of the word « Falaq. » However, most scholars believe it refers to morning or dawn. Thus, in this verse, Allah tells us to seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn, that is, Allah Himself.
2. against the evil of the beings He has created,
Allah tells us to seek refuge from the evil of what He has created, including Hell, Shaytan (Satan) and other malevolent entities.
3. against the evil of darkness when it deepens,
Allah says that one should seek refuge from the extreme darkness of night. However, as in the first verse, there is a difference of opinion on the meaning of the word « Ghasiq. » Some scholars, such as Ibn Zayd, believe that Ghasiq refers to the setting of the Pleiades star, while others consider Ghasiq to refer to the moon.
4. against the evil of those who blow [witches] on knots,
This verse tells us to seek refuge with Allah from the wicked, such as those who practice sorcery and other forms of secret malevolence. Since Allah is the Ultimate Authority, once a person is under His protection, no worldly or external power can harm that person.
5. and against the evil of the envious when he envies.
Furthermore, we must also seek refuge in Allah from « Hasad, » meaning the envy of others. As such, even the most envious people cannot harm us once we seek refuge with Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Powerful.
We should recite Surah al-Falaq often, and seek refuge in Allah from all evils and perils.