Verse of Isti'adha

Verse of Isti'adha

Verse's Information
Name	Verse of Isti'adhah
Sura	Sura al-Nahl
Verse	98
Juz'	14
Content Information
Place of Revelation	Mecca
Topic	Jurisprudential
Related Verses	Qur'an 7:204

The verse of Istiʿādhah (Qur'an 16:98) (Arabic: آيَة الإسْتِعٰاذَة) states that when reciting the Qur'an, one should seek refuge in God from Satan’s temptations to be protected from mistakes. Isti'adhah means seeking refuge, and this refuge has been considered the refuge of the heart; that is, a person should feel in his heart that he has taken refuge in God.

Jurists, referring to this verse, consider saying, "I seek refuge in Allah against the outcast Satan" recommended when reciting the Qur'an and starting the prayer. In some hadiths, other expressions have also been mentioned for "isti'adhah", such as "I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the outcast Satan."

Text and translation

Qur'an 16:98, referred to as the verse of "Isti'adhah", states that one should seek refuge in God from Satan while reciting the Qur'an. Referring to this verse, Muslims start reciting the Qur'an and some other works with "isti'adhah".

“

فَإِذا قَرَأتَ القُرآنَ فَاستَعِذ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ الرَّجيمِ

When you recite the Qur'an, seek the protection of Allah against the outcast Satan.

” — Qur'an 16:98.

Interpretation

According to Tabrisi (d. 548/1153-4), one at a lower position seeking refuge from one at a higher position is in a submissive manner. The meaning of "isti'adhah" in the verse mentioned above is that when reciting the Qur'an, one should seek refuge in God from the temptations of Satan to be safe from slips and mistakes. 'Allama Tabataba'i (d. 1981) considered this refuge as the refuge of the heart; i.e., a person should feel in his heart that he has taken refuge in God and separates from the vain desires that hinder correct understanding rather than just saying it with his tongue. Of course, verbal expression of isti'adhah is considered a prelude to creating that heart condition.

Some exegetes of the Qur'an have considered the reason for mentioning the adjective "rajim" [outcast] for Satan to remember his arrogance and violation of God’s command, which implies that upon reciting the Qur'an, one should keep away arrogance, pride, and prejudice so that he does not suffer a fate like Satan.

Is isti'adhah obligatory or recommended?

Islamic scholars have considered the command of "ista'idh" in this verse to imply recommendation and therefore considered saying "A'udh-u billah..." recommended for reciting the Qur'an. Al-Muqaddas al-Ardabili (d. 993/1585), one of the jurists of the 10th/16th century, has considered the opinion of most scholars on non-obligation of isti'adhah and the lack of any command on the obligation of isti'adhah in hadiths as a proof for understanding recommendation from the mentioned verse. However, referring to the appearance of the command verb ("ista'idh"), some believe that making isti'adhah is obligatory upon reciting the Qur'an.

According to al-Shaykh al-Tusi (d. 460/1067) and al-'Allama al-Hilli (d. 726/1325), Shiite and Sunni jurists, citing this verse, consider it recommended to say "A'udh-u billah…" ["I seek refuge in God..."] in the first rak'ah of daily prayer (after Takbirat al-Ihram and before the recitation of suras). It has been reported that among Twelver Shiite jurists, only Abu Ali al-Tusi (son of al-Shaykh al-Tusi) believed in the obligation of saying isti'adhah, and Malik b. Anas considered it permissible only in Nafila prayers. Observing "ikhfat" (whispering manner) when saying isti'adhah in prayer is considered recommended.

Expressions of isti'adhah

They have mentioned different expressions for isti'adhah. Al-'Allamah al-Majlisi (d. 1110/1699) considered the most famous of them to be "A'udh-u bi-llah min al-Shaytan al-Rajim" ["I seek refuge in Allah against the outcast Satan"] and "A'udh-u bi-llah al-Sami' al-'Alim min al-Shaytan al-Rajim" ["I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the outcast Satan."]. In some hadiths, other expressions have also been mentioned for isti'adhah, including: "Asta'idh-u bi-llah min al-Shaytan al-Rajim", "A'udh-u bi-llah al-Sami' al-'Alim min al-Shaytan al-Rajim, wa a'udh-u bi-llah an yahdurun", and "A'udh-u bi-llah min al-Shaytan al-Rajim, inn Allah Huw-a l-Fattah al-'Alim".

Although in the verse of isti'adhah, the phrase "idha qara't-a l-Qur'an fa-sta'idh bi-llah…" ["When you recite the Quran, seek the protection of Allah …"] is mentioned, but they have considered it to suggest that when you want to recite the Qur'an, say "A'udh-u bi-llah …" ["I seek refuge in Allah…"]; the same as the verse "When you stand up for prayer, wash your faces…" (Qur'an 5:6) which means to perform wudu when you intend to perform prayer.