Repelling the Shaytaan

In the Name of Allaah, Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem...

(1) Say: "I seek refuge with (Allaah) the Lord of mankind, (2) The King of mankind (3) The Ilah (God) of mankind, (4) From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one's heart after one remembers Allaah). (5) Who whispers in the breasts of mankind. (6) Of jinn and men."

[Sooratun-Naas, 114:6]

Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmân as-Sa’dî (rahîmahullâh) comments:

This Soorah comprises seeking refuge (Isti'aadah) with the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind and the Ilaah of mankind from Shaytaan, who is the source and essence of every evil and mischief. The one from whose fitnah (trials) and wickedness is that he whispers into the breasts of men, beautifies for them evil misdeeds, displays it to them in an appealing image, and entices their desires towards performing it. He makes good deeds appear repugnant to them, and causes them to lag behind from (performing khayr), and presents it to them in a guise other than its own. He is always in this state of whispering and withdrawing, meaning: he withdraws when the servant remembers his Lord, and seeks His help (towards repelling the devil).

Thus, it is obligatory upon the servant and all of mankind to seek aid and refuge with His Ruboobiyyah, and hold fast to it. The whole of creation falls under (the monarchy of) His Lordship and Sovereignty; he has seized every creature by the forelock. Mankind must also seek aid and refuge with His 'Uloohiyyah (Divinity), for it was for His worship alone, that they were created. This worship, however, is not perfected except and unless they repel the evil of their enemy, who desires to cut them off (from worshiping Allaah alone) and obstruct their way towards it, and who desires to make them his followers, that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

Whispering could come from jinn or from man, hence Allâh says:

“…Of jinn and men.”

‎وهذه السورة مشتملة على الاستعاذة برب الناس ومالكهم وإلههم، من الشيطان الذي هو أصل الشرور كلها ومادَّتها، الذي من فتنته وشره، أنه يوسوس في صدور الناس، فيحسن (لهم) الشر، ويريهم إياه في صورة حسنة، وينشط إرادتهم لفعله، ويقبح لهم الخير ويثبطهم عنه، ويريهم إياه في صورة غير صورته، وهو دائماً بهذه الحال يوسوس ويخنس أي: يتأخر إذا ذكر العبد ربه واستعان به على دفعه.
فينبغي له أن [يستعين و] يستعيذ ويعتصم بربوبية الله للناس كلهم.
وأن الخلق كلهم داخلون تحت الربوبية والملك، فكل دابة هو آخذ بناصيتها.
وبألوهيته التي خلقهم لأجلها، فلا تتم لهم إلا بدفع شر عدوهم، الذي يريد أن يقتطعهم عنها ويحول بينهم وبينها، ويريد أن يجعلهم من حزبه ليكونوا من أصحاب السعير، والوسواس كما يكون من الجن يكون من الإنس، ولهذا قال: "من الجنة والاس

Source: Tafsîr As-Sa’dî, p937-938 (Ar-Resalah Publishers)
Translated by Umm Sufyaan Faatimah