114. An-Nas, Mecca 21
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
قُلْ
أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ
النَّاسِ
(١)
114: 1. Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
C6307. The previous Surah pointed to the necessity of seeking Allah'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 Allah is mentioned, as explained in the next note.
C6308. Man's relation to Allah may be viewed in three aspects:
1. Allah is his Lord, Maker, and Cherisher; Allah 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. Allah is his king or ruler; more than any earthly king, Allah 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. Allah is He to Whom mankind must return, to give an account of all their deeds in this life (2:156)-, Allah 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 Allah's protection against evil.
مَلِكِ
النَّاسِ
(٢)
114: 2. The King (or Ruler) of Mankind,
إِلَهِ
النَّاسِ
(٣)
114: 3. The Allah (or Judge) of Mankind --
مِن
شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ
الْخَنَّاسِ
(٤)
114: 4. From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper) –
C6309. Evil insinuates itself in all sorts of insidious ways from within so as to sap man's will, which was given to man by Allah.
This power of evil may be Satan, or evil men or the evil inclinations within man's own will: for there are "evil ones among men and Jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception" (6: 112).
They secretly whisper evil and then withdraw, to make their net the more subtle and alluring.
الَّذِي
يُوَسْوِسُ
فِي
صُدُورِ النَّاسِ
(٥)
114: 5. (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind --
مِنَ
الْجِنَّةِ
وَ النَّاسِ
(٦)
114: 6. Among Jinns and among Men._
C6310. This last clause amplifies the description of the sources from which the whisper of evil may emanate: they may be men whom you may see or invisible spirits of evil working within. See last note.
So long as we put ourselves in Allah's protection, and trust in Allah, evil cannot really touch us in our essential and inner life.
Other versions:
114: 1
Asad Sy: “I seek refuge with the Sustainer of men,
Pickthall Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
Transliteration Qul au_zu birab bina_s
114: 2
Asad “the Sovereign of men”
Pickthall The King of mankind,
Transliteration Malikin na_s
114: 3
Asad “the God of men”
Pickthall The God of mankind,
Transliteration Ila_hin na_s
114: 4
Asad “from the evil of the whispering, elusive tempter”
Pickthall From the evil of the sneaking whisperer,
Transliteration Min syaril waswa_sil hana_s
114: 5
Asad “who whispers in the hearts of men [note 1] -
Pickthall Who whispereth in the hearts of mankind,
Transliteration Alazi yuwas wisu fi sudu_rin na_si
114: 6
Asad “from all [temptation to evil by] invisible forces as well as men.” [note 2]
Pickthall Of the jinn and of mankind.
Transliteration Minal jinati wan na_s
[[ Asad’s notes – 1 I.e., “ Satan” in the widest meaning of this designation, as pointed out by Razi (quoted in sura 14, note 31)
note 2 – The above is perhaps the oldest Quranic mention of the term and concept of al-jinnah (synonymous with al-jinn), which has been tentatively explained in Appendix III. In the above context, the term probably denotes the intangible, mysterious forces of nature to which man’s psyche is exposed, and which sometimes make it difficult for us to discern between right and wrong. However, in the light of this last verse of the last surah of the Quran it is also possible to conclude that the “invisible forces” from which we are told to seek refuge with God are the temptations of evil emanating from the blindness of our own hearts, from our gross appetites, and from the erroneous notions and false values that may have been handed down to us by our predecessors.]
[[Ali’s notes -
6307 The previous Sura pointed to the necessity of seeking Allah'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 Allah is mentioned, as explained in the next note. (114.1)
6308 Man's relation to Allah may be viewed in three aspects: (1) Allah is his Lord, Maker, and Cherisher; Allah 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) Allah is his king or ruler; more than any earthly king, Allah 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) Allah is He to Whom mankind must return, to give an account of all their deeds in this life (ii. 156); Allah 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 Allah's protection against evil. (114.1)
6309 Evil insinuates itself in all sorts of insidious ways from within so as to sap man's will, which was given to man by Allah. This power of evil may be Satan, or evil men or the evil inclinations within man's own will: for there are "evil ones among men and Jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception" (vi. 112). They secretly whisper evil and then withdraw, to make their net the more subtle and alluring. (114.4)
6310 This last clause amplifies the description of the sources from which the whisper of evil may emanate: they may be men whom you may see or invisible spirits of evil working within. See last note. So long as we put ourselves in Allah's protection, and trust in Allah, evil cannot really touch us in our essential and inner life. (114.6)