3.4
(Pray · The words)
الِاسْتِعَاذَة
The Isti'adhah
Seeking refuge in Allah from Shaytan, said before reciting the Quran. The Arabic, the transliteration and the English, with audio.
أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم
A'oodhu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed
Allah commands it before the Quran is recited:
فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
Fa idhaa qara'tal Qur'aana fasta'idh billaahi minash shaytaanir rajeem
So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed.
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When to say it
In the prayer, silently, after the Thana and before Al-Fatiha. See it in place in the Dhuhr guide. And whenever you begin to recite the Quran.
The Prophet ﷺ taught it for anger too. Two men were insulting each other in front of him, and one of them had turned red in the face. He said: I know a word that would take away what he feels, if he said it: a'oodhu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem.
The refuge is studied in The Ta'awwudh, and the whisperer it is taken from in The Whisperer.
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What it means
- A'oodhu: I seek refuge. The word is of running to a protector and holding on to him.
- billahi: in Allah. Not in my willpower, not in my mood. In Him.
- minash shaytaan: from Shaytan, the enemy who whispers.
- ar-rajeem: the accursed. Literally the stoned one, driven out from the mercy of Allah.
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Why it matters
Allah commands it before the Quran is recited, and in the next breath He says: Shaytan has no authority over those who believe and rely on their Lord. His authority is only over those who take him as an ally.
The refuge is how you stay among the first group. He whispers in the chest. Before you speak the words of Allah in your prayer, you put a wall between your heart and the whisperer.
The Prophet ﷺ gave the same words as the cure for anger. One sentence, for the prayer, for the Quran and for the moment you are about to lose yourself.