Nur

Light against darkness

Protective words from the Qur'an

Islam knows no amulets or incantations. Protection is turning to the Living Allah: the Qur'an itself teaches the words with which to seek His refuge — from shaytan, from the evil of creation, from the whispers of “jinn and men”.

Isti'adha — the words of seeking refuge

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

a'udhu billahi min ash-shaytani r-rajim

“I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytan”

With these words one begins reading the Qur'an — and seeks refuge at any moment. The Qur'an itself commands so:

«So when you recite the Qur’ān, [first] seek refuge in Allāh from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].»
Word by word
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
So when
قَرَأْتَ
qarata
you recite
ٱلْقُرْءَانَ
l-qur'āna
the Quran
فَٱسْتَعِذْ
fa-is'taʿidh
seek refuge
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ
l-shayṭāni
the Shaitaan
ٱلرَّجِيمِ
l-rajīmi
the accursed

The texts recited for protection

Ayat al-Kursi and the two last surahs of the Qur'an — al-mu'awwidhatayn, “the two of refuge” — the Prophet ﷺ recited seeking Allah's protection. They are read before sleep and in the morning and evening remembrances.

Ayat al-Kursi

Qur'an 2:255

Read in the Qur'an

The greatest ayah — about the power of the Living Allah, whom neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes. Whomever He guards, no jinn or human can harm.

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa'u indahooo illaa bi-iznih; ya'lamu maa baina aydeehim wa mww khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai'im min 'ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa'; wasi'a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa ya'ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul 'Azeem

Word by word
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لَآ
(there is) no
إِلَـٰهَ
ilāha
God
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ
huwa
Him
ٱلْحَىُّ
l-ḥayu
the Ever-Living
ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ
l-qayūmu
the Sustainer of all that exists
لَا
Not
تَأْخُذُهُۥ
takhudhuhu
overtakes Him
سِنَةٌۭ
sinatun
slumber
وَلَا
walā
[and] not
نَوْمٌۭ ۚ
nawmun
sleep
لَّهُۥ
lahu
To Him (belongs)
مَا
what(ever)
فِى
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَمَا
wamā
and what(ever)
فِى
(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ
l-arḍi
the earth
مَن
man
Who
ذَا
dhā
(is) the one
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
who
يَشْفَعُ
yashfaʿu
can intercede
عِندَهُۥٓ
ʿindahu
with Him
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ
bi-idh'nihi
by His permission
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
He knows
مَا
what
بَيْنَ
bayna
(is)
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydīhim
before them
وَمَا
wamā
and what
خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ
khalfahum
(is) behind them
وَلَا
walā
And not
يُحِيطُونَ
yuḥīṭūna
they encompass
بِشَىْءٍۢ
bishayin
anything
مِّنْ
min
of
عِلْمِهِۦٓ
ʿil'mihi
His Knowledge
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِمَا
bimā
[of] what
شَآءَ ۚ
shāa
He willed
وَسِعَ
wasiʿa
Extends
كُرْسِيُّهُ
kur'siyyuhu
His Seat
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(to) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ
wal-arḍa
and the earth
وَلَا
walā
And not
يَـُٔودُهُۥ
yaūduhu
tires Him
حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ
ḥif'ẓuhumā
(the) guarding of both of them
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلْعَلِىُّ
l-ʿaliyu
(is) the Most High
ٱلْعَظِيمُ
l-ʿaẓīmu
the Most Great
Surah 113

Al-Falaq — The Daybreak

Read in the Qur'an

Refuge from the evil of creation: the encroaching darkness, sorcery, and envy.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak

Qul a'uzoo bi rabbil-falaq

Word by word
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَعُوذُ
aʿūdhu
I seek refuge
بِرَبِّ
birabbi
in (the) Lord
ٱلْفَلَقِ
l-falaqi
(of) the dawn

مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

From the evil of that which He created

Min sharri ma khalaq

Word by word
مِن
min
From
شَرِّ
sharri
(the) evil
مَا
(of) what
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
He created

وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ

And from the evil of darkness when it settles

Wa min sharri ghasiqin iza waqab

Word by word
وَمِن
wamin
And from
شَرِّ
sharri
(the) evil
غَاسِقٍ
ghāsiqin
(of) darkness
إِذَا
idhā
when
وَقَبَ
waqaba
it spreads

وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ

And from the evil of the blowers in knots

Wa min sharrin-naffaa-thaati fil 'uqad

Word by word
وَمِن
wamin
And from
شَرِّ
sharri
(the) evil
ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ
l-nafāthāti
(of) the blowers
فِى
in
ٱلْعُقَدِ
l-ʿuqadi
the knots

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

And from the evil of an envier when he envies."

Wa min shar ri haasidin iza hasad

Word by word
وَمِن
wamin
And from
شَرِّ
sharri
(the) evil
حَاسِدٍ
ḥāsidin
(of) an envier
إِذَا
idhā
when
حَسَدَ
ḥasada
he envies
Surah 114

An-Nas — Mankind

Read in the Qur'an

Refuge from the whisperer who whispers into hearts — “from jinn and men”.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,

Qul a'uzu birabbin naas

Word by word
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَعُوذُ
aʿūdhu
I seek refuge
بِرَبِّ
birabbi
in (the) Lord
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) mankind

مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ

The Sovereign of mankind,

Malikin naas

Word by word
مَلِكِ
maliki
(The) King
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) mankind

إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ

The God of mankind,

Ilaahin naas

Word by word
إِلَـٰهِ
ilāhi
(The) God
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) mankind

مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ

From the evil of the retreating whisperer -

Min sharril was waasil khannaas

Word by word
مِن
min
From
شَرِّ
sharri
(the) evil
ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ
l-waswāsi
(of) the whisperer
ٱلْخَنَّاسِ
l-khanāsi
the one who withdraws

ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ

Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind -

Al lazee yuwas wisu fee sudoorin naas

Word by word
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
The one who
يُوَسْوِسُ
yuwaswisu
whispers
فِى
in
صُدُورِ
ṣudūri
(the) breasts
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) mankind

مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

From among the jinn and mankind".

Minal jinnati wan naas

Word by word
مِنَ
mina
From
ٱلْجِنَّةِ
l-jinati
the jinn
وَٱلنَّاسِ
wal-nāsi
and men
A du'a from the Qur'an

Qur'an 23:97–98

Read in the Qur'an

A personal plea for protection from the promptings of the shayatin — in the Qur'an's own words.

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَٰتِ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ

And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils,

Wa qur Rabbi a'oozu bika min hamazaatish Shayaateen

Word by word
وَقُل
waqul
And say
رَّبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
أَعُوذُ
aʿūdhu
I seek refuge
بِكَ
bika
in You
مِنْ
min
from
هَمَزَٰتِ
hamazāti
(the) suggestions
ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينِ
l-shayāṭīni
(of) the evil ones

وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ

And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me."

Wa a'oozu bika Rabbi ai-yahduroon

Word by word
وَأَعُوذُ
wa-aʿūdhu
And I seek refuge
بِكَ
bika
in You
رَبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
أَن
an
Lest
يَحْضُرُونِ
yaḥḍurūni
they be present with me

When they are recited

Before reading the Qur'an

“When you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytan” (16:98).

Morning and evening

The protective surahs are part of the daily morning and evening adhkar — remembrances of Allah.

Before sleep

The Prophet ﷺ recited the protective surahs before sleep, entrusting himself to Allah's care for the night.

In a moment of fear or temptation

“And if a suggestion from shaytan assails you, seek refuge in Allah!” (7:200).

Not a “charm”

The power is not in talisman-words or ritual: it is Allah Himself who protects, and the words are a sincere turning to Him. That is why Islam does not approve of amulets, fortune-telling, or “healers” promising power over jinn.

If fear, anxiety, or intrusive thoughts are strong and will not let go — alongside du'a, talk to an imam, and if needed to a doctor or therapist. Caring for yourself does not contradict trusting Allah.