Duas for Protection: The Quranic Shield Against All Harm
Shaitan expertly plants seed of doubt in the hearts of believers, reveling in their fears and taking joy in their setbacks. His greatest triumph lies in ensnaring a believer with his tricks. As believers, our armor is our duas for protection against his whispers. As Muslims we are blessed to have the Quran, which not only provides us with the rules for living but also equips us with duas for protection from all harm.
Ayat Al-Kursi: The Dua for Protection
Ayat Al-Kursi is the longest ayah in the Quran; it is verse 255 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Let’s first have a look at the translation of the ayah:
“Allah! There is no deity except Him, Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
Imagine being in great stress and feeling all helpless and then you recite this ayah and entrust your matters to The One who never sleeps, whose throne extends over the heavens and earth, and you will feel the ease in your chest.
Benefits of Ayat al-Kursi
Different authentic hadith of Holy Prophet PBUH describe Ayat al-Kursi as the most powerful dua for protection from the Quran.
Means of Protection and Reward
The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing stands between him and entering Paradise except death (Sahih An-Nasa’i 9928).
Protection in Sleep
The Prophet PBUH told Abu Hurayrah (R.A) that reciting Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping ensures that a guardian from Allah will protect you, and no devil will come near you until morning (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311).
The 4 Qul: Duas to Protect from All Harm
The four Quls refer to the four surahs at the end of the Quran that begin with the word “Qul”, which means “Say”. These surahs are:
Surah Al-Kafirun
Say, "O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion." (Surah-109)
Surah Al-Ikhlas
Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent." (Surah-112)
Surah Al-Falaq
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, From the evil of that which He created. And from the evil of darkness when it settles. And from the evil of the blowers in knots. And from the evil of an envier when he envies” (Surah-113)
Surah An-Nas
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, who whispers in the breasts of mankind, Among jinn and among mankind." (Surah114)
The four Quls are usually recited together for protection against envy, evil and harm from both seen and unseen. These are our personal protection tools that the Quran hands us for protection from all harm.
Benefits of Reciting 4 Quls
The Prophet PBUH has stated several benefits of 4 Quls in his hadith. These Surah’s are so powerful when recited together or even when alone.
One Third of the Quran
According to Sahih Muslim (Hadith 814), the Prophet ﷺ said that Surah Al-Ikhlas is equal to one-third of the Qur’an in reward and meaning.
Protection from All Evil
These duas are the best form of protection from jealousy, black magic, and envy. The Prophet PBUH said,
“Seek refuge with Allah by reciting Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Naas, for there are no two surahs better than these for seeking refuge.” (Sunan an-Nasa’i 5437, Musnad Ahmad 27009)
How to Perform Ruqiyah by Ayat Al-Kursi and Qul?
Ruqyah is the Sunnah way to read the Quranic verses and duas for protection, healing, and peace, as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
The Sunnah Way to Perform Ruqiyah
Aishah (RA) in Sahih al-Bukhari (5017) narrated that:
“Whenever the Prophet ﷺ went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow into them after reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Naas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face, and front of his body. He used to do that three times.”
We can also perform the Ruqiyah on ourselves by following this Sunnah method to protect ourselves from the evils of shaitan.
Hence, the One who has created the harm has also handed us with the Duas of protection which we should incorporate in our daily lives to protect ourselves from all harm. By reciting Ayat al-Kursi and the Four Quls daily, we wrap ourselves in Allah’s mercy and safeguard our hearts from fear of the unseen.
