An-Nasa'i recorded that Ibn `Abis Al-Juhani said that the Prophet said to him,

«يَا ابْنَ عَابِسٍ أَلَا أَدُلُّكَ أَوْ أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِأَفْضَلِ مَا يَتَعَوَّذُ بِهِ الْمُتَعَوِّذُونَ؟»

(O Ibn `Abis! Shall I guide you to -- or inform you -- of the best thing that those who seek protection use for protection) He replied, "Of course, O Messenger of Allah!'' The Prophet said,

«[قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ]

[قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ]

هَاتَانِ السُّورَتَانِ»

(Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq.'')( and (Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.'')( These two Surahs (are the best protection).) Imam Malik recorded from `A'ishah that whenever the Messenger of Allah was suffering from an ailment, he would recite the Mu`awwidhatayn over himself and blow (over himself). Then if his pain became severe, `A'ishah said that she would recite the Mu`awwidhatayn over him and take his hand and wipe it over himself seeking the blessing of those Surahs. Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah all recorded this Hadith.

It has been reported from Abu Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah used to seek protection against the evil eyes of the Jinns and mankind. But when the Mu`awwi- dhatayn were revea- led, he used them (for protection) and aban- doned all else besides them. At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah recorded this. At-Tirmidhi said, "This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.''

[بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

[قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبّ الْفَلَقِ- مِن شَرّ مَا خَلَقَ- وَمِن شَرّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ- وَمِن شَرّ النَّفَّـثَـتِ فِى الْعُقَدِ- وَمِن شَرّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ-]

(1. Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of Al-Falaq,'') (2. "From the evil of what He has created,'') (3. "And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,'') (4. "And from the evil of the blowers in knots,'') (5. "And from the evil of the envier when he envies.'') Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Jabir said, "Al-Falaq is the morning.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas, "Al-Falaq is the morning.'' The same has been reported from Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Abdullah bin Muhammad bin `Aqil, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Ibn Zayd. Malik also reported a similar statement from Zayd bin Aslam. Al-Qurazi, Ibn Zayd and Ibn Jarir all said, "This is like Allah's saying,

[فَالِقُ الإِصْبَاحِ]

(He is the Cleaver of the daybreak.).'' (6:96) Allah said,

[مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ]

(From the evil of what He has created,) This means from the evil of all created things. Thabit Al-Bunani and Al-Hasan Al-Basri both said, "Hell, Iblis and his progeny, from among that which He (Allah) created.''

[وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ]

(And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,) Mujahid said, "Ghasiq is the night, and `when it Waqab' refers to the setting of the sun.'' Al-Bukhari mentioned this from him. Ibn Abi Najih also reported a similar narration from him (Mujahid).

The same was said by Ibn `Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Ad-Dahhak, Khusayf, Al-Hasan and Qatadah. They said, "Verily, it is the night when it advances with its darkness.'' Az-Zuhri said,

[وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ]

(And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab,) "This means the sun when it sets.'' Abu Al-Muhazzim reported that Abu Hurayrah said,

[وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ]

(And from the evil of the Ghasiq when Waqab, ) "This means the star.'' Ibn Zayd said, "The Arabs used to say, `Al-Ghasiq is the declination (of the position) of the heavenly body known as Pleiades. The number of those who were ill and stricken with plague would increase whenever it would decline, and their number would lessen whenever it rose.'''

Ibn Jarir said, "Others have said that it is the moon.''

The support for the people who hold this position (that it means the moon) is a narration that Imam Ahmad recorded from Al-Harith bin Abi Salamah. He said that `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah took me by my hand and showed me the moon when it rose, and he said,

«تَعَوَّذِي بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّ هَذَا الْغَاسِقِ إِذَا وَقَبَ»

(Seek refuge with Allah from the evil of this Ghasiq when it becomes dark.)'' At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i both recorded this Hadith in their Books of Tafsir in their Sunans. Allah said,

[وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّـثَـتِ فِى الْعُقَدِ ]

(And from the evil of the blowers in knots,) Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak all said, "This means the witches.'' Mujahid said, "When they perform their spells and blow into the knots.''

In another Hadith it has been reported that Jibril came to the Prophet and said, "Are you suffering from any ailment, O Muhammad'' The Prophet replied,

«نَعَمْ»

(Yes.) So Jibril said, "In the Name of Allah, I recite prayer (Ruqyah) over you, from every illness that harms you, from the evil of every envious person and evil eye. May Allah cure you.''