Quran 16:98 — Surah An-Nahl Ayah 98 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

Ayah 97

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحًۭا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَه...

16:98

An-Nahl

Ayah 99

إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَ...

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ

Fa izaa qara tal Quraana fasta'iz billaahi minashh Shai taanir rajeem

So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].

Related Tafsir

Ibn Kathir

The Command to seek Refuge with Allah before reciting the Qur'an

This is a command from Allah to His servants upon the tongue of His Prophet , telling them that when they want to read Qur'an, they should seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan. The Hadiths mentioned about seeking refuge with Allah (Isti`adhah), were quoted in our discussion at the beginning of this Tafsir, praise be to Allah. The reason for seeking refuge with Allah before reading is that the reader should not get confused or mixed up, and that the Shaytan would not confuse him or stop him from thinking about and pondering over the meaning of what he reads. Hence the majority of scholars said that refuge should be sought with Allah before starting to read.

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

(Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord.) Ath-Thawri said: "He has no power to make them commit a sin they will not repent from." Others said: it means that he has no argument for them. Others said it is like the Ayah:

إِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ

(Except Your chosen servants amongst them.) 15:40

إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـنُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ

(His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Shaytan), ) Mujahid said: "Those who obey him." Others said, "Those who take him as their protector instead of Allah."

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ

(and those who join partners with Him.) means, those who associate others in worship with Allah.

View Full Tafsir: The Command to seek Refuge with Allah before reciting the Qur'anAyahs 98–100

“Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minash-Shaitanir-rajim, wa hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafthihi (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the accursed Satan, from his madness, his pride, and his poetry).”

Sunan an-Nasa'i #5442It was narrated that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said:

"The Prophet said to 'Uqbah: 'Recite.' He said: 'What should I recite, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Recite: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of what He has created.' And he repeated it until I had learned it."

Sunan an-Nasa'i #750It was narrated that Sahl bin Abi Hathmah said:

"When anyone of you prays toward a Sutra, let him get close to it and not allow the Shaitan to sever his prayer for him."

Sahih Muslim #5591Uthman b. Abu al-'As reported that he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said:

Allah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur'an and he confounds me. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:, That is (the doing of a) Satan (devil) who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit three times to your left. I did that and Allah dispelled that from me.

Sahih Muslim #6612Jundub b. 'Abdullah al-Bajali reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Recite the Qur'an as long as your hearts agree to do so, and when you feel variance between them (between your hearts and tongues), then get up (and leave its recital for the time being).