Book of Healing - Spiritual Healing - Cure by Mu`awwidhatan
Cure by Mu`awwidhatan
Tags: Mu`awwidhatan, Suratu'l-Falaq, Suratu'n-Nas, Qul, a`udhu, Seek Refuge
1. In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful! Mu`awwidhatan (or Mu`wwidhatayn), which means the two surahs for protection against evil, is the name given to Suratu'l-Falaq (the Dawn) and Suratu'n-Nas (Mankind). The reason for giving this name is that in these two wisdom-filled surahs, one is taught to seek the protection of God in order to escape all evils. Therefore, they have tremendous protective and curative blessings and effects. You should study every word of these surahs with due reflection and also see their characteristics in the sound 'Ahadith and exegeses so that you may have absolute certainty about these two refuges.
2. In Suratu'l-Falaq, first comes the word "qul (say!)", which is mentioned 332 times in the glorious Qur'an. This is a special command of God, because in it He addresses the holy Prophet: O Prophet! tell the people personally and also through other means. Thus whatever the holy Prophet presented to the people during his pure life, by words and deeds, was under the Divine command "qul". Further, the execution of this command also continues through the two important things which the Prophet has left for the sake of guidance.
3. Then there is the word "a`udhu (I seek refuge)", in which refuge is sought for three things: first, intention; second, speech and third, action. The most successful form of refuge for all these is possible in the light of knowledge and ma`rifat, for without faith and certainty, intellect and wisdom, it is not possible to escape every kind of evil and reach the refuge of God and protect oneself there. It is because of this that God, the Knowing, the Wise, has kept the example of seeking refuge on the extreme height of religion and this height is the pure Sunnat of the holy Prophet. That is, nowhere has God said: "Qulu na`udhu (Say! we seek refuge)", rather He has said: "qul a`udhu (Say! I seek refuge)". That is, O Prophet! first of all you say it and then by acting upon it, show them what is the way of seeking the refuge of God.
4. "Bi-Rabbi'l-falaq (with the Lord of dawn)". That is, I seek refuge in the presence of the Lord of the dawn of azal (Hubs-i azal). Although there are many dawns, the one most worth mentioning and extremely marvellous, is the one which dawns with the rise of the light of azal (nur-i azal). For the true protection of God is attained by a fortunate servant at the stage where he becomes annihilated in God (fana' fi'llah). At this stage he observes the secrets of azal and abad together.
5. "Min sharri ma khalaq (from the evil of what is created)". In this verse, there is the terse mention of taking refuge from all evils. That is, what is mentioned in detail in Suratu'l-Falaq and Suratu'n-Nas is summarised in the above-mentioned two verses. From the preceding, it is evident that it is falaq, namely spirituality and the dawn (light) of azal, which erases the darknesses of all evils and puts an end to them.
6. "Wa min sharri ghasiqin idha waqab (and from the evil of the dark night when it overspreads)". Ghasiq is an active participle which means that which spreads darkness. By this is meant a person who spreads the darknesses of ignorance. Such a person is more dangerous than the dark night. For there is as much good in knowledge and wisdom, as there is evil in ignorance. Thus, according to the law of seeking refuge, it is necessary and essential to escape the ignorant and ignorance and seek God's refuge.
7. "Wa min sharri'n-naffathati fi'l-`uqad (and from the evil of the women who blow on knots)". For the exegesis of this, see: Qamusu'l-Qur'an, pp. 609-610.
8. "Wa min sharri Hasidin idha Hasad (and from the evil of the envier when he envies)". The wisdom of this noble verse says that not only do the external evils of malignant people influence you, but so do their internal evils. An example of the latter state is jealousy. That is, if the jealousy of the jealous were not to come as an arrow, then the command of avoiding it and entering the refuge of God would not have been given. Thus it is evident that evil comes by both external and internal paths.
9. In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful! "Qul a`udhu bi-Rabbi'n-nas (Say! I seek refuge with the Sustainer of the people)". That is, I keep myself protected and peaceful in the refuge of the Majestic Sustainer, Who has the absolute power of nourishing and sustaining people physically, spiritually and intellectually. The intellectual bounties come from the azali treasures, for the supreme fountainhead of sustainership lies there.
10. "Maliki'n-nas, Ilahi'n-nas (the King of men, the God of men)". Here in the word malik (king) is alluded the great importance of the Divine laws, and in the name Ilah (the Worshipped One), special attention is drawn to worship. This means that without following the Divine laws and without worshipping God in the true sense, no one can receive protection in His presence.
11. "Min sharri'l-waswasi'l-khannas (from the evil of the sneaking whisperer)". Waswas (whisperer) and khannas (sneaking) are among the names of Satan, and all the deceitful flowery discourses of the devils from among mankind and jinn (6:112) are included in the whispering (waswasah) of Satan.
12. "Alladhi yuwaswisu fi Suduri'n-nasi mina'l-jinnati wa'n-nas (who whispers in the hearts of men, of jinn and mankind)". In this surah, from the beginning to the end, all wisdom-filled Divine teachings are related to escaping from the evils of Satan, which in the preceding surah are certainly mentioned in allusions. For, the root of evil is one and that is Satan and hence every kind of evil, wherever it may be, is due to him.
13. If you want to remain safe and secure, if you cherish the protection of children, life and property and yearn to enter the refuge of the Omnipotent God, to be protected from all vices, calamities, afflictions, torments and misfortunes, then continue to recite the Mu'wwudhatayn with great eagerness and absolute certainty. Further, in order to attain their special grace and blessings, it is necessary to have their correct meaning and knowledge and wisdom, so that the way to their original treasures may be known. For, the original secret of the efficacy and usefulness of a surah, ayat or name is hidden in its meaning, knowledge and wisdom.
14. Study minutely the diagram of refuge, which is based on four degrees: nasut (humanity), malakut (angelicity), jabarut (Divine attributes) and lahut (Divinity). The example of the refuge of nasut is when a Muslim migrates from a non-Muslim country in an emergency and seeks refuge amongst Muslims, or when a mu'min, in an emergency, takes refuge in the Ka`bah or a mosque. The refuge of malakut is annihilation in the murshid (spiritual guide), and the refuge of jabarut is annihilation in the Prophet and the refuge of lahut is the final refuge, which is annihilation in God. From another aspect, there are four annihilations: annihilation of dhikr (remembrance), annihilation of fikr (reflection), annihilation of `ishq (love) and annihilation of ma`rifat (recognition of God).
23 Rabi' I, 1409
5th November, 1988.
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