Qur’anic du‘a study · TC-DUA-038
Qur’an 23:97–98 teaches Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Peace and blessings be upon him) to seek refuge in الله (ALLAH) from the incitements of devils and from their presence. The paired verses direct the believer towards the Creator for protection while leaving no permission to diagnose other people, spread fear or replace mental-health and safeguarding help with speculation.
1. Read the command and both requests
The verses occur after a passage addressing rejection, accountability and the instruction to repel evil with what is better. Then comes the command to say these words of refuge. Reading verses 96–98 together joins good conduct with seeking protection.
The Qur’an affirms the unseen, but these ayahs do not give a checklist for identifying possession or the hidden cause of a symptom. Their clear function is supplication and refuge.
2. Study the paired wording
Qur’an study · Al-Muminun A full learner transliteration is not displayed here. Listen to the complete ayah and use the Arabic with a capable teacher rather than guessing its sounds from English letters. Read from right to left. Each column keeps one Arabic word, its reading aid and its contextual gloss together. Select a word to hear it. Each word card: Arabic · reading aid · contextual gloss Saheeh International is the primary reading. The two named comparisons make translation choices visible; none is presented as the Arabic Qur’an itself. And say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, And say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones, And say "O my Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of the Evil Ones. Qur’an study · Al-Muminun A full learner transliteration is not displayed here. Listen to the complete ayah and use the Arabic with a capable teacher rather than guessing its sounds from English letters. Read from right to left. Each column keeps one Arabic word, its reading aid and its contextual gloss together. Select a word to hear it. Each word card: Arabic · reading aid · contextual gloss Saheeh International is the primary reading. The two named comparisons make translation choices visible; none is presented as the Arabic Qur’an itself. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me." And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me, "And I seek refuge with Thee O my Lord! lest they should come near me."Ayah 23:97
Sources used for this ayah panelOpen the Arabic, audio and translation notes
Ayah 23:98
Sources used for this ayah panelOpen the Arabic, audio and translation notes
The first ayah seeks refuge from hamazat, rendered by translators as suggestions, incitements or promptings. The second asks protection from their being present. The two requests are connected and should be learned in order.
Notice the repeated direct address, “my Lord”. Protection is sought from الله (ALLAH), not from an amulet, horoscope, talisman or person claiming independent control of the unseen.
Pronunciation support. Begin with the complete recitation, then select the individual word-audio buttons from right to left. A Latin-letter reading aid can point towards a sound, but it cannot reproduce every Arabic letter, vowel length or rule of recitation. Keep the Arabic visible, listen repeatedly and ask a capable teacher to correct you. Do not become embarrassed by a slow beginning: accurate learning is built through attentive repetition, not through pretending confidence.
Word-by-word support. Each card keeps one Arabic word, a reading aid and a contextual gloss together. A gloss is deliberately short and may supply English words that belong to the phrase rather than to a stand-alone dictionary definition. Reconstruct meaning from the complete ayah and its named translation; do not manufacture a new translation by joining the glosses mechanically.
3. Respond to harmful impulses responsibly
When an angry, destructive or dishonest impulse appears, pause, seek refuge, change the immediate situation and choose a lawful response. Leave a heated screen, put down a dangerous object, contact support or move to a safe public place if necessary.
An intrusive thought is not the same as an intention or act. People experiencing distressing thoughts may need compassionate clinical support. Shame and frightening diagnoses can worsen suffering.
4. A short practice without invented claims
Listen to both ayahs and repeat them accurately for learning. Use them when seeking refuge, but do not attribute a fixed count, guaranteed cure or ritual sequence without evidence. The resource deliberately makes no such claim.
Pair recitation with a behaviour plan: identify a trigger, an early warning sign, a safe interruption and a person to contact. This does not reduce tawakkul; it is part of acting responsibly within created means.
A ten-minute study routine. Listen once without pausing. Listen again while following the Arabic. Read the primary translation, then compare one sentence in the other named translations. Choose no more than three Arabic words to practise. Finish by explaining the request in your own plain language while keeping the Quranic wording separate. On a later day, return without looking at your earlier explanation and see what you remember.
Respectful printing. If you print the ayah panel, print only when it will be used, keep the page clean and do not leave Quranic text where it may be stepped on or discarded casually. The print control includes the Arabic because the learning purpose is to become familiar with the actual Quranic wording, not merely an English paraphrase.
5. Teaching without creating fear
With children, explain “harmful whispers” as suggestions to do wrong, while making clear that thoughts can be ignored and help is available. Do not tell a frightened child that an unseen being is in their room, body or toy.
Keep bedtime teaching calm. Practise the words during the day, use a steady voice and maintain ordinary routines. Persistent fear, sleep disturbance or unusual experiences deserve appropriate medical or psychological attention.
6. Ruqyah and safeguarding boundaries
The Qur’an may be recited as lawful remembrance and supplication. This page does not certify a healer, diagnose sihr or possession, or authorise touching, isolation, restraint, striking, financial exploitation or stopping treatment. Abuse remains abuse when religious language is used around it.
If someone is at immediate risk of harm, contact emergency or safeguarding services. Seek a reputable clinician for symptoms and a trustworthy qualified scholar for individual religious questions.
Translation transparency. Saheeh International is displayed as the primary English reading, alongside the named Pickthall and Yusuf Ali translations. Differences in English wording do not create three different Qur’ans; they make human translation choices visible. The Arabic remains the Quranic source. Where a translation sounds unclear or old-fashioned, compare the complete sentence and consult a qualified teacher rather than silently rewriting the quotation.
Mastery check. Before marking the resource complete, answer four questions: Who speaks in the Quranic passage? What is requested? Which surrounding ayahs establish the setting? What claim must not be added to the text? A learner has not mastered the resource merely by reaching the bottom of the page. Completion records reading progress; accurate understanding is shown by a careful explanation, responsible conduct and willingness to correct mistakes.
Continue through the du‘a learning hub or return to the learning library.