The Relationship between this Surah al Falaq and Surah al-Ikhlas and surah an-Nas.
This and the surah after it (an-Nas) are known as the Mu'awiddhatayn - the 2 surahs' of refuge, named by Allah's Messenger.
This Surah (al-Falaq's) Relationship with Surah al Ikhlas;
1 - Qul (say) at the beginning of both the surahs'.
2 - Rabbil Falaq (Lord of the Daybreak) - This relation with the previous surah al Ikhlas.
These 2 surahs have been paired in classic tafseer's (al Falaq and an-Nas).
Who are you seeking refuge from? Whose protection you are seeking?
Both these surahs have mention of both; seeking refuge in Allah, and seeking refuge from His creations'.
The One you seek refuge in is Allah. The ones you seek refuge from are different.
Allah mentions one description of Himself (Rabb - Master) in surah Falaq. Then He mentions many things which we seek refuge in Allah from.
In surah an-Nas - Allah mentions many of His Names, and attributes, and only mentions one thing which is sought in refuge from (the wawaas of shaytan).
The one you are seeking protection of (an-Naas).
The one you seeking protection against (al Falaq).
Both these surahs' were revealed at the same time simultaneously, there is no dispute.
Dr Faaddil Hassaan ar-Ra'i says: Surah Falaq deals with problems which afflict a human - which he has no control over. They are other creations. I.e. The night, the sorcerers, enviers, etc.
Surah an-Naas in contrast - deals with the actions of the human being (i.e. Wawasa -whisperings of shaytan). And if we act upon these whisperings - we will be accountable for our actions on Judgment Day.
So we see that there is more desperation in surah an-Naas than in surah Falaq. You are calling upon Allah over and over again. When you get affected by the whisperings - and you do evil, it will damage your Eman (belief/faith) - so you will have to call upon Allah more to strengthen it once again.
The first deals with afflictions that will come to you externally. The second deals with afflictions that occur internally, so you require more refuge in Allah.
al Naas: So when you say; Qul a'oodhu bi Rabb al-naas, malik al-Naas, il-laahi al-Naas..
You are repeatedly asking Allah by His Names and Attributes. A show of your internal struggle and desperation.
al Falaq: The evil of external influences are less powerful in comparison to the Waswasa from shaytan which affects your Emaan/faith inside. So refuge is sought with Allah from outside evil forces, but evil whisperings which affect your Emaan require a more desperate cry to Allah for help. This is why Allah is mentioned more in surah an-Naas.
Sequencing in this Surah:
Allah has a remarkable sequencing in this surah. He transisions from the General to the More specific:
min sharri maa khalaq - from the evil He has created. (all creation which has evil tendencies).
Min sharri ghaasiqin idha waqab - from the evil of the night as it approaches. (specific to the evils that happen in the night.)
Wa min sharri naafathaat (soothsayers/magicians/witches).
min sharri haasidin (those who envy).
Historical Context of this Surah:
The vast majority considered this Madani. Others said Makki.
After the Treaty of Hudaybia (6 AH) - the Quraysh were less of a threat to the Muslims. The Jewish tribes had been expelled from Medinah due to acts of breaking their contracts of agreements with the Muslims. These Jews had moved to Khaybar. They found out that Allah's Messenger will not be focusing on the Quraysh anymore, but on them instead. So they started to make strategies on how to make offense against Allah's Messenger - before he could on them.
Labeed bin 'Aasim was a man from the tribe of Banu Zurayq, some say he was Jewish, others say Christian, others say he was a hypocrite (pretending to be a Muslim). The Jews came to Labeed bin 'Aasim and said that we have tried to do different forms of magic on Muhammad (Allah's Messenger, but it has not worked. So please do magic on Muhammad (Allah's Messenger) because you are the best of magicians we know. Do something that will 'tear him apart' - dismantle him.
Some narrations say he asked help from his daughters, who were also experienced in magic. He pays a small boy who is a Jewish servant of the Messenger of Allah, and this boy steals some pins from the comb of the Messenger of Allah. These pins have some hair strands of the Messenger of Allah. He takes these pins to Labeed, and Labeed starts to make sorcery with knots and a doll with pins around it etc. This device which had magic on it - they threw it into a famous well called Dhu Riwaan - they put it into the well and put a rock over it.
The Magic Effects:
- There are only a few narrations:
- Internally and Externally disturbed. perturbed, disturbed, losing sleep, thinking he is doing something but he hasn't, or vice versa. Physical illnesses like high blood pressure, a heavy burden on ones self, like being squeezed inside. Physical symptoms are real with magic.
Aisha said (in Bukhari);
Allah's Messenger said he asked Allah and Allah answered him. Aisha asked him (sal Allah alayhi wasalam) what the question and answer was? Allah's Messenger went to sleep one night and he saw two angels in human form asking each other; what has happened? Magic has been done. Who did it? Labeed bin 'Aasim has done it. How did he do it? He took a doll and put pins in it, took knots and blew in them, and placed them in the well Dhu ar-Arwan. What should he do to protect himself? He should recite these 2 surahs, and the Angels recited these surahs' in the dream of Allah's Messenger.
These 2 surahs' have 11 aayaat, and the black magic doll had 11 knots in it. So Allah's Messenger told his companions to go and get the doll from under the rock in the well. And whenever they pulled a needle out/untie a knot - they would recite one ayah.
At the end - Allah's Messenger felt relieved. Like he had come out of darkness to light, from pain to ease.
Many scholars say that this surah is Madani, due to that event. Other scholars say that the angels only came to remind Allah's Messenger, to recite these surahs' - although they had been revealed earlier in Makkah.
A peculiar opinion of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, a companion of Allah's Messenger, it has been quite famous i.e. Mentioned in 'Ulum al Qur'an.
This opinion is that these surahs' are not really surahs' of the Qur'an, but they are revelation from Allah as remedies. His opinion is that the mus-haf ends at surah al Ikhlas. However, this is only his view and everyone else has the opinion that these surahs' are a part of the Mus-haf (copy of the Qur'an).
How could he have that opinion?
- Not every companion is aware of every incident within the life of Allah's Messenger.
- It is possible that he retracted his opinion later.
- The companions all agreed (with Ijma'/consensus) on the Mus-haf compiled by Abu Bakr.
Which contained the these two surahs of Falaq and an-Naas. And he is part of this Ijma'/consensus. The proof that it is in the copy of the Qur'an is based on many authentic ahadith which mention that Allah's Messenger recited these two surahs' in salaah/namaz. And we know that we cannot recite anything except the Qur'an in salah. Which is proof that these surahs' are part of the Qur'an.
There are several opinions which the Ijma' (consensus) never took. But some of the companions held these views. This shows that they are humans, but when they saw the truth - they would incline to that.
