Sūrah 113 · Meccan

How Sūrah Al-Falaq was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read Al-Falaq → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #20

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 5 ayahs

1 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This surah is a core lesson in seeking refuge with Allah. Its purpose is to teach the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers an all-encompassing prayer to seek protection from all sources of evil: from general creation, from the darkness of night, from sorcery, and from the malicious intent of the hateful and envious.

Themes and purpose:

This surah is a core lesson in seeking refuge with Allah. Its purpose is to teach the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers an all-encompassing prayer to seek protection from all sources of evil: from general creation, from the darkness of night, from sorcery, and from the malicious intent of the hateful and envious.

Context of Revelation:

Era: The stronger view is that it is Makkan, though a report about the sorcery of Labīd ibn al-Aʿṣam led some to argue it is Madinan.

Context: The surah was revealed to provide the Prophet (ﷺ) with the specific, powerful words to seek protection from the general evils of the world, especially the hidden and spiritual dangers that threatened him and his community.

Chronology: It is counted as the 20th surah in the order of revelation, revealed after Sūrat al-Fīl and before al-Nās.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known as "Sūrat al-Falaq" (The Daybreak) and by its opening ayah.

Virtue: The Prophet (ﷺ) declared that no one could read anything more effective than this surah and Sūrat al-Nās for seeking protection: together they are called "al-Muʿawwidhatān" (The Two Protectors).

Verse Count: 5 ayahs.

Surah Overview:

  • Instructing the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers to seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak. [1]
  • General Harms: Seeking protection from the evil in all creation. [2]
  • Hidden Harms: Seeking protection from the evil that lurks in the darkness of the night. [3]
  • Spiritual Harm: Seeking protection from the spiritual evil of those who participate in the dark arts. [4]
  • Psychological Harm: Seeking protection from the envy of the jealous when he envies. [5]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 1 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah1
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5017

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا أَوَى إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ جَمَعَ كَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ نَفَثَ فِيهِمَا فَقَرَأَ فِيهِمَا ‏﴿‏قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ‏﴾‏ وَ‏﴿‏قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ‏﴾‏ وَ‏﴿‏قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ‏﴾‏ ثُمَّ يَمْسَحُ بِهِمَا مَا اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ يَبْدَأُ بِهِمَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ وَمَا أَقْبَلَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ‏.‏

    Narrated 'Aisha: Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas, 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.

    Open at Sunnah.com →

The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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