Qur’an 114:1–6قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

«1. Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of An-Nās,"» «2. "The King of An-Nās,"» «3. "The God of An-Nās,"» «4. "From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws."» «5. "Who whispers in the breasts of An-Nās."» «6. "Of Jinn and An-Nās."»

These are three attributes from the attributes of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. They are lordship, sovereignty and divinity. Thus, He is the Lord of everything, the King of everything and the God of everything. All things are created by Him, owned by Him, and subservient to Him. Therefore, He commands whoever is seeking protection to seek refuge with the One Who has these attributes from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws. This (the whisperer) is the devil that is assigned to man. For verily, there is not any of the Children of Ādam except that he has a companion that beautifies wicked deeds for him. This devil will go to any lengths to confuse and confound him. The only person who is safe is He Whom Allāh protects.

It is confirmed in the Ṣaḥīḥ that he (the Prophet ﷺ) said,

Ḥadīthمَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا قَدْ وُكِّلَ بِهِ قَرِينُهُ

«There is not a single one of you except that his companion (a devil) has been assigned to him.»

They (the Companions) said, "What about you, O Messenger of Allāh?" He replied,

Ḥadīthنَعَمْ، إِلَّا أَنَّ اللهَ أَعَانَنِي عَلَيْهِ فَأَسْلَمَ، فَلَا يَأْمُرُنِي إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ

«Yes. However, Allāh has helped me against him and he has accepted Islām. Thus, he only commands me to do good.»^{1Muslim no. 2167.}

It is also confirmed in the Two Ṣaḥīḥs from Anas, who reported the story of Ṣafiyyah when she came to visit the Prophet ﷺ while he was performing I'tikāf, that he went out with her during the night to walk her back to her house. So, two men from the Anṣār met him (on the way). When they saw the Prophet ﷺ, they began walking swiftly. So, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthعَلَى رِسْلِكُمَا، إِنَّهَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتُ حُيَيٍّ

«Slow down! This is Ṣafiyyah bint Ḥuyay!»

They said, "Glory be to Allāh, O Messenger of Allāh!" He said,

Ḥadīthإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَجْرِي مِنِ ابْنِ آدَمَ مَجْرَى الدَّمِ، وَإِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَقْذِفَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمَا شَيْئًا، أَوْ قَالَ: شَرًّا

«Verily, Shayṭān runs in the Son of Ādam like the running of the blood. And verily, I feared that he might cast something into your hearts - or he said - evil.»^{2Fatḥ Al-Bāri 4:326.}

Sa'īd bin Jubayr reported that Ibn 'Abbās said concerning Allāh's statement,

Qur’an 114:4ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ

«The whisperer (Al-Waswās) who withdraws.» "The devil who is squatting (perched) upon the heart of the Son of Ādam. So when he becomes absentminded and heedless he whispers. Then, when he remembers Allāh he withdraws."^{3Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:709.} Mujāhid and Qatādah also said this.^{4Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:710.}

Al-Mu'tamir bin Sulaymān reported that his father said, "It has been mentioned to me that Shayṭān is Al-Waswās. He blows into the heart of the Son of Ādam when he is sad and when he is happy. But when he (man) remembers Allāh, Shayṭān withdraws.”^{5Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:710.} Al-‘Awfi reported from Ibn 'Abbās;

Qur’an 114:4ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ

«The whisperer.»

"He is Shayṭān. He whispers and then when he is obeyed, he withdraws."^{6Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:710.}

As for Allāh's saying;

Qur’an 114:5ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ

«Who whispers in the breasts of An-Nās.» Is this specific for the Children of Ādam as is apparent, or is it general, including both mankind and Jinns?

There are two views concerning this. This is because they (the Jinns) are also included in the usage of the word An-Nās (the people) in most cases.

Ibn Jarīr said, "The phrase Rijālun min Al-Jinn^{7He is referring to Sūrat Al-Jinn 72:6.} (Men from the Jinns) has been used in reference to them, so it is not strange for the word An-Nās to be applied to them also."^{8Aṭ-Ṭabari 24:711.} Then Allāh says,

Qur’an 114:6مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

«Of Jinn and An-Nās.» Is this explanatory of Allāh's statement,

Qur’an 114:5ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ

«Who whispers in the breasts of An-Nās.»?

Then, Allāh explains this by saying,

Qur’an 114:6مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

«Of Jinn and An-Nās.» This is supportive of the second view. It has also been said that Allāh's saying,

Qur’an 114:6مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ

«Of Jinn and An-Nās» is an explanation of who is it that whispers into the breasts of mankind from the devils of mankind and Jinns. This is similar to Allāh's saying,

Qur’an 6:112وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَٰطِينَ ٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلْجِنِّ يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ ٱلْقَوْلِ

Qur’anغُرُورًا

«And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayāṭīn among mankind and Jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.» (6:112)

Imām Aḥmad recorded that Ibn 'Abbās said, "A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'O Messenger of Allāh! Sometimes I say things to myself that I would rather fall from the sky than say (aloud openly).' The Prophet ﷺ said,

Ḥadīthاللهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ، الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ الَّذِي رَدَّ كَيْدَهُ إِلَى الْوَسْوَسَةِ

«Allāh is Most Great! Allāh is Most Great! All praise is due to Allāh Who sent his (Shayṭān's) plot back as only a whisper.»"^{9Aḥmad 1:235.} Abu Dāwud and An-Nasā'ī also recorded this Ḥadīth.^{10Abu Dāwud 5:336, and An-Nasā'ī in Al-Kubrā 6:1710}

This is the end of the Tafsīr. All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of all that exists.