Darimi

(Commentary on Hadith 3472)

In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Do you not see that tonight such verses have been revealed the like of which I have never seen before?” And those are «﴿قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ﴾» and «﴿قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ﴾ (الفلق والناس)». From this, the virtue of these two surahs is known. Also, it is established that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would recite these surahs and perform ruqyah (blow for protection) over himself and over Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn radi Allahu anhuma.

Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha narrates: When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would suffer from any pain, he would recite the Mu’awwidhatayn (the two surahs of seeking refuge) and perform ruqyah over himself. When his illness intensified, I would recite these surahs and pass his blessed hand over his body.
[بخاري: باب المعوذات فى فضائل القرآن] and [مسلم: كتاب السلام ، باب رقية المريض بالمعوذات].

When the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was affected by magic, Jibril alayhis salam came with these very surahs and said that a Jew had performed magic on you, and that magic is in such-and-such well. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam sent Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu to retrieve it (which was a string with eleven knots tied in it, along with a comb’s teeth and hair, and a wax effigy into which needles were stuck). As Jibril alayhis salam instructed, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would recite one verse from each of the two surahs, and with each recitation a knot would untie and a needle would come out. By the time he reached the end, all the knots were untied and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was restored to health as if a person had been freed from bondage.
[بخاري: كتاب الطب ، باب السحر], [مسلم: كتاب السلام ، باب السحر والسنن] It should be noted that both surahs contain eleven verses.

It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that at night before sleeping, he would recite Surah al-Ikhlas and the Mu’awwidhatayn, blow into his palms, and then wipe them over his entire body.

He would also recite these surahs three times after the Fajr and Maghrib prayers, and once after the Zuhr, Asr, and Isha prayers.

However, wiping the body or face with the hands after the prayer is not established.

In these two surahs, there is seeking refuge from Satan and his progeny, from Hell, and from everything that can harm or potentially harm a person.

Such a small effort, and such a great benefit! Yet how burdensome do these verses seem to Muslims? If Muslims were to make these surahs their regular practice according to the Sunnah, they would remain safe from many calamities and from the evil of Satan.