Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Muhammad bin Yahya that Walid bin Walid bin Mughirah Makhzumi complained to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about the thoughts that would come to him. So the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When you come to your bed, say this: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, and from the evil of His servants, and from the evil suggestions of devils, and from their coming near me. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, nothing will harm you until morning."

It is narrated from Hazrat Yahya bin Ja'dah, he says that Khalid bin Walid used to become afraid at night, and he would have a sword with him and would go outside in that state. Then he felt fear that he might injure someone, so he complained about this to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibreel told me that a great jinn intends evil for you, so you should recite this: 'I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words, which neither the righteous nor the wicked can surpass, from the evil of everything that descends from the sky and ascends to the sky, and from the evil of everything that enters the earth and comes out of it, and from the trials of night and day, and from the evil of everything that comes at night except that which comes with goodness, O Most Merciful.'” Thus, when Hazrat Khalid recited these words, his condition ended.

Hazrat Mak’hool narrates that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah Mukarramah, the jinn met him in such a state that they were throwing flames towards him (peace and blessings be upon him). At this, Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) submitted, “O Muhammad! Seek refuge through these words.” Thus, the jinn were driven away from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited (these words): “I seek refuge, by the perfect words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the wicked can surpass, from the evil of everything that descends from the sky and ascends to it, and from the evil of everything that is spread in the earth and that emerges from it. And I seek refuge from the evil of the trials of night and day, and from the evil of everything that comes at night except that which comes with goodness. O Most Merciful.”

It is narrated about Hazrat Uthman bin Abu al-As that he presented himself before the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! Indeed, Satan comes between me and my prayer and my recitation." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is the devil who is called Khanzab. So when you feel his presence, spit three times to your left and seek refuge with Allah from his evil."

Hazrat Abu Al-Tiyah narrates that a man asked Hazrat Abdullah bin Khabsh, “When the devils tried to plot against the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), what did he do?” Abdullah replied, “Devils came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) descending from different valleys and mountains, and among them was a devil who had a large burning ember of fire. He wanted to burn the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with it. But then that devil became overawed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” Ja’far, the narrator, says, “I think he began to retreat.” Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) arrived and said, ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Say.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, ‘What should I say?’ Jibreel said, ‘Say: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, which no wicked or righteous creature among creation can surpass, and no one born or emerging can surpass. And I seek refuge from the evil of whatever descends from the sky and whatever ascends to it, and from the evil of whatever enters the earth and whatever comes out of it, and from the evil of the trials of night and day, and from the evil of anything that comes at night except that which comes with goodness, O Most Merciful.’ The narrator says, ‘Then the fire of the devils was extinguished and Allah Almighty made them unsuccessful.’

It is narrated from Hazrat Mujahid that he said: Evil thoughts and imaginations about devils and such used to come to me. I asked Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) about this. He said: Tell me whatever you have seen. Do not be afraid of it. Because just as you are afraid of it, it is also afraid of you. Do not become even more cowardly than it. Hazrat Mujahid says: Then I saw it again, so I struck it with a stick until I even heard the sound of the blow.

It is narrated from Ibrahim Nakha'i that he said: When any of the people of the past saw something undesirable in a dream, he would say: I seek refuge through that means by which Allah's angels and messengers seek refuge, from the evil of everything I have seen in my dream, that nothing should reach me in this world or the Hereafter because of it which I do not like.

Hazrat Amr bin Shu'aib narrates from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When any of you is frightened in his sleep, he should say: 'I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His wrath, His severe punishment, the evil of His servants, the mischief of devils, and from their coming near me.'"

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila, he says that when any of you feels the effects of Satan, he should look at the ground and recite "A'udhu billah" (I seek refuge with Allah).