Sūrah 114 · Meccan

How Sūrah An-Naas was revealed.

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

Read An-Naas → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

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

Order of revelation #21

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

Length 6 ayahs

1 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This surah is a focused lesson in seeking refuge with Allah from spiritual evil. Its purpose is to teach the believer an exclusive prayer for protection against the hidden, constant whisperings of the devils and evil individuals, affirming that the complete authority of Allah (as Lord, King, and God of humanity) is the only sure defense against internal corruption.

Themes and purpose:

This surah is a focused lesson in seeking refuge with Allah from spiritual evil. Its purpose is to teach the believer an exclusive prayer for protection against the hidden, constant whisperings of the devils and evil individuals, affirming that the complete authority of Allah (as Lord, King, and God of humanity) is the only sure defense against internal corruption.

Context of Revelation:

Era: The majority is that it is Makkan, based on its sequential relationship with Sūrat al-Falaq.

Context: The surah was revealed to instruct the Prophet (ﷺ) to pray for protection against the internal, subtle evils which corrupt the hearts of the people he was calling to faith.

Chronology: It is counted as the 21st surah in the order of revelation, revealed immediately after Sūrat al-Falaq and before Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known as "Sūrat al-Nās" (Mankind) and by the opening ayah. The word 

al-nās at the end of five of its verses.

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

Verse Count: 6 ayahs.

Surah Overview:

  • Instructing the Prophet (ﷺ) and, by extension, all Muslims to seek refuge with the Lord, King, and God of all humanity. [1-3]
  • The Source of Evil: Seeking protection from the evil of the Whisperer who constantly retreats. [4]
  • The Whisperer’s Identity: Clarifying that the sources of these whisperings are from among both the Jinn and humankind. [6]

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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