Verse of Isti'adha: Difference between revisions

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

According to [[Al-Fadl b. al-Hasan al-Tabrisi|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, [[Hubris|pride]], and [[prejudice]] so that he does not suffer a fate like Satan.

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 [[Tilawa|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.

* Ardibīlī, Aḥmad b. Muḥammad. ''Zubdat al-bayān fī aḥkām al-Qurʾān''. Edited by Muḥammad Bāqir Bihbūdī. Tehran: al-Maktaba al-Murtaḍawiyya, [n.d].