Assalamo Alaikum,
Fwd’ing
Allaah says,
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good and turn away from the foolish. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Al-A`raaf (THE HEIGHTS) (7): 199-200]
“Repel evil by means of what is best. We are best Acquainted with the things that they utter. And say, ‘My Lord! I seek refuge with you from the whisperings of the devils and I seek refuge with you my Lord lest they come near me.’” [Al-Mu`minoon (THE BELIEVERS) (23): 96-98]
“Repel [evil] with that which is better then indeed the one, between whom and you there was enmity, [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. But none is granted [this quality] except those who are patient and none is granted it save one who possesses a great portion [of high moral character]. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Fussilaat (EXPLAINED IN DETAIL) (41): 34-46]
These verses command the servant of Allaah to seek refuge with Him from the accursed Shaytaan due to the severe enmity he displays towards mankind and displayed towards their father, Aadam (AS). Allaah says,
“O Children of Aadam! Let not Shaytaan deceive you, as he removed your parents out of Paradise.” [Al-A`raaf (THE HEIGHTS)(7): 27]
Ibn al-Jawzee said,
Servants of Allaah! Contemplate on the removal of your father, Aadam from Paradise, the home of security and his descent to the home of disgrace and abasement. The reason for this was none other than the accursed Shaytaan. Your Master has prohibited you from obeying him (shaytaan) and ordered you to disobey him (shaytaan). Indeed in his (shaytaan) obedience lies the Displeasure of ar-Rahmaan and disobeying him (shaytaan) necessitates residing in Paradise and the descent of Pleasure.
Allaah, Glorified and Exalted, said, “Shaytaan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality.” [Al-Baqarah (THE COW) (2): 268]
So whosoever obeys him (shaytaan), he forsakes him and diverts him from the guidance and opens in his heart the doors to misguidance and ignominy. [Ibn al-Jawzee, ‘Bustaan al-Waa`idheen’ [pg. 27]]
Allaah further explains to us the extreme enmity of Shaytaan with His words,
“Indeed Shaytaan is an open enemy to you so take him as an enemy. He invites his followers only that they may become the denizens of the blazing Fire.” [Faatir (THE ANGELS, ORIGNATOR) (35): 6]
“Will you then take him and his offspring as friends and protectors besides Him while they are open enemies to you? Wretched it is as an exchange for the wrong-doers.” [Al-Kahf (THE CAVE) (18): 50]
Indeed Shaytaan took an oath saying,
“By Your Might! I will surely misguide them all, except Your chosen slaves amongst them.” [Saad (THE LETTER SAD) (38): 82-83]
It is for this reason that we have been encouraged to seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan. With regards to reciting the Qur`aan, Allaah says,
“When you wish to read [lit: have read] the Qur`aan then seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan. Indeed he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord. His power is only over those who follow him and join partners with Him.” [An-Nahl (THE BEE) (16): 98-100]
A group of the reciters and scholars, from amongst them Hamza, ibn Seereen, Ibraaheem an-Nakha`ee and Daawood adh-Dhaahiree, were of the opinion that one seeks refuge after the completion of recitation, taking to the literal sense of this verse. They also stated that the reason for doing so would be to repress self-astonishment at the completion of an action of worship.
A second opinion voiced is that one seeks refuge before and after ones recitation. However the famous, well-known opinion, which is the opinion of the majority is that one seeks refuge before recitation in order to safeguard oneself from the whisperings of Shaytaan. This groups understood the meaning of the verse to be, “when you wish to read the Qur`aan…” in the same sense as the verse,
“When you intend to stand for prayer [lit: have stood for prayer], then wash your faces and forearms…” [Al-Maa`idah (THE TABLE, THE TABLE SPREAD) (5): 6]
Abu Daawood reports from Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree that,
When the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) stood at night [for prayer, he would commence the prayer] by saying the takbeer and then saying, “SubhaanakAllaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarrakasmuka, wa taaalaa jadduka, wa laa ilaaha ghayruk.” [You are glorified O Allaah and praised! Your Name is Blessed; Your Majesty is Exalted and none has the right to be worshipped save You.] Then he would say, “laa ilaaha illAllaah” [There is none worthy of worship save You] three times, then he would say, “Allaahu Akbar” three times and then he would say, “Aoodhu billaahi as-Samee` al-Aleem min ash-Shaytaanir Rajeem – min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafthihi” * and others and it is in ‘Saheeh Abu Daawood’ [no. 701]]
Abu Daawood reports from Naafi` bin Jubair from his father who said,
I saw the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) saying when he entered into prayer, “Allaahu Akbar Kabeera” [Allaah is the Greatest, very great] three times, “Alhamdulillaahi Katheera” [Praise and thanks be to Allaah, again and again] three times and “SubhaanAllaahi Bukratan wa Aseela” [Glorified is Allaah, morning and evening] three times. Then he said, “Allaahumma innee A`udhubika mina ash-Shaytaan, min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafathi”
[O Allaah! I take refuge with You from Shaytaan – from his madness, arrogance and poetry. The hadeeth is reported by Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans. 1/196 no. 763.] and ibn Maajah [no. 807]. It has been ruled to be daeef with this wording by Al-Albaanee in ‘Daeef Abu Daawood’ [no. 160], ‘Daeef ibn Maajah’ [no. 173] and ‘Irwaa’ [2/54] However there is a saheeh hadeeth reported by ibn Maajah [no. 808] from ibn Masud that the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) used to say the above words of seeking refuge when he entered the prayer. Refer to ‘Saheeh ibn Maajah’ [no. 658] and ‘Irwaa’ [2/55] As for the supplication then it is authentically reported in Saheeh Muslim that it was said without the repetitions by one of the Companions in prayer upon which the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, “wonderful for it [the supplication] is that the doors of heaven were opened for it.”]
The majority of scholars are of the opinion of that istiaadha is recommended and not obligatory. However it is reported from Ataa bin Abee Rabaah that it is obligatory to say it within the prayer and outside the prayer when one desires to recite the Book of Allaah. Ar-Raazee stated that the proof for this opinion was that the verse, “seek protection with Allaah” is mentioned in the imperative, that the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) persisted in uttering it throughout his life and that it serves as a protective barrier from Shaytaan – therefore if an obligation can only be fulfilled by a particular means then that means also becomes an obligation.
Isti`aadha (Seeking Refuge) is for the recitation in prayer – this being the opinion of Abu Haneefah and Muhammad. As such it is to be said before one starts reciting al-Faatihah. Shaykh Mashur Hasan Salmaan said,
It is clear that istiaadha (Seeking Refuge) is legislated in every rakah [of prayer]. This due to the generality of His saying, “When you wish to read the Qur`aan then seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan.”
This is the most correct opinion of the Shaafiee school and declared to be the strongest opinion by ibn Hazm. [Mashur Hasan Salmaan, ‘Al-Qawl al-Mubeen fee Akhtai al-Musalleen’ [pg. 109]. Refer also to an-Nawawee, ‘al-Majmu`’ [3/323]; al-Albaanee, ‘Tamaam al-Minnah’ [pp. 176-177]]
Reference:
Tafseer of Surah al-Fatihah, compiled by Abu Rumaysah,(This commentary is a compilation gathered from a number of commentaries written.) These being:
Tafseer at-Tabaree
Tafseer al-Qurtubi [Jaami lil Ahkaam al-Quraan] Tafseer ibn Katheer Tafseer ash-Shawkanee [Fath al-Qadeer] Tafseer as-Sadee [Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan]
Tafseer ash-Shanqeetee [Adwaa al-Bayaan fee Eedaah al-Quraan bil Quraan].*