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Chapter 114

Humansal-Nās ( الناس )

6 verses • revealed at Meccan

»The surah that opens with the mention of God as the Lord of Humans and teaches one to seek refuge in Him from the whisperings of Satan and those of evil jinn and people. It takes its name from the word “people” or “mankind” (al-nās) which recurs throughout the surah. This is another surah commonly used as an invocation against evil.«

The surah is also known as All People, Humankind, Mankind, People, The Men

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Yusuf Ali: In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1
قُل أَعوذُ بِرَبِّ النّاسِ

Yusuf Ali

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.
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.
Say: I seek refuge1 with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,2
  • The previous Surah 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.
  • 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.