Felak

Surah Al-Falaq is the 113th surah of the Quran; it consists of five verses and addresses seeking refuge in Allah from evil. It teaches the believer to take refuge in the Lord of the daybreak: from the evil of what He has created, from the darkness when it settles, from those who blow on knots, and from the envier when he envies. Together with Surah An-Nas it is known as al-Mu'awwidhatayn, the two surahs of refuge, foundational texts of protective supplication in Islamic practice. Teaching reliance on Allah alone against dangers one can neither see nor master, the surah offers today's anxious reader a concrete language of trust and inner calm.

Revelation & background

Surah Al-Falaq is Meccan by the prevailing view, though some scholars considered it Medinan. It is reported to have been revealed together with Surah An-Nas. It came as a prayer of protection at a time of intensifying hostility from the polytheists, teaching believers to seek refuge in Allah from every seen and unseen harm.

Major themes

Its governing theme is isti'adhah: the servant's refuge in Allah, the only power that can avert every evil. Verse 113:1 turns to the Lord of al-falaq—the daybreak that splits the darkness. Verses 113:2-5 then name four categories of harm: the general evil of created things, the enveloping dark, the evil of those who practice sorcery, and envy. The surah thus maps the external sources of harm and teaches that none holds power against Allah's protection; Surah An-Nas completes the pair by addressing the whisperings within.

Virtues

Reports in the authentic collections describe the Prophet reciting Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas each night before sleep, blowing into his hands and wiping over his body, and recommending that these three surahs be recited three times every morning and evening. Narrations also describe the two surahs of refuge as without parallel for seeking protection.