In short: The three Quls are Surah Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114). Before sleep, recite them into cupped hands and wipe over the body, three times; in the morning and evening, recite each surah three times. It takes about two minutes.
Every family has its fears: illness, envy, bad dreams, harm we cannot see. The Qur'an does not answer these with charms or superstition. It gives the believer three short surahs, each beginning with the word Qul, "Say", that place the one who recites them under the protection of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ recited them every night of his life.
What are the three Quls?
The three Quls are the last three surahs of the Qur'an: Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114). Each begins with the command Qul, "Say". Al-Falaq and An-Nas are known together as al-Mu'awwidhatayn, the two surahs of seeking refuge, and when Al-Ikhlas is added the three are sometimes called al-Mu'awwidhat.
They work together. Al-Ikhlas establishes who Allah is: the One, the Eternal Refuge, without equal. The other two then turn to Him for protection. It makes sense: you seek refuge only with someone you know is able to protect you. We looked at Al-Ikhlas closely in our article on why it equals a third of the Qur'an. Here we focus on the two surahs of refuge, and how to recite all three.
When these two surahs were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said to the Companion 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir: "Have you not seen verses revealed tonight, the like of which has never been seen? Qul a'udhu bi Rabbil-falaq and Qul a'udhu bi Rabbin-nas" (reported by Muslim).
What does Surah Al-Falaq say?
Surah Al-Falaq has five verses. It asks for protection from harms that come from outside us.
- Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak. Al-falaq is the splitting of dawn out of the night. The One who breaks the darkness every morning is able to break any harm.
- From the evil of what He has created. A general request covering every harmful thing in creation.
- From the evil of darkness when it settles. The night, when harm is more likely and people feel least safe.
- From the evil of those who blow on knots. Those who practise magic, which the Qur'an treats as real harm that only Allah can protect from.
- From the evil of the envier when he envies. Envy that has moved from the heart into action, or into a harmful look.
What does Surah An-Nas say?
Surah An-Nas has six verses. Where Al-Falaq seeks protection from outside harms, An-Nas seeks protection from a danger inside: the whispering that leads a person to sin and doubt.
- Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind. Allah is named three times, by three of His qualities: the One who cares for us, the One who rules us, and the One we worship.
- From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws (al-waswas al-khannas). Shaytan whispers, and when Allah is remembered he draws back, then returns when the person becomes heedless.
- Who whispers into the hearts of people. His work is in the heart and mind: doubts, bad thoughts, laziness in worship.
- From among the jinn and mankind. Whispering to evil comes from people too, not only from unseen beings.
One Name, many harms; three Names, one harm
Scholars have noticed a beautiful balance between the two surahs. In Al-Falaq, Allah is called on by one quality against four kinds of harm. In An-Nas, He is called on by three qualities against one harm, the whisperer. The danger to a person's faith is treated as the greatest danger of all.
How do you recite them before you sleep?
'A'ishah described exactly what the Prophet ﷺ did. Every night, when he went to bed, he would cup his hands together, blow lightly into them, and recite Qul huwa Allahu ahad, Qul a'udhu bi Rabbil-falaq and Qul a'udhu bi Rabbin-nas. Then he would wipe his hands over as much of his body as he could, starting with his head, his face and the front of his body. He did this three times (reported by al-Bukhari).
- Cup your hands together, as if about to make du'a.
- Blow lightly into them, a gentle breath with very little moisture.
- Recite the three surahs, each from its beginning, with Bismillah.
- Wipe your hands over your body, beginning with your head and face, then the front of your body, reaching as far as you can.
- Repeat the whole thing three times.
Why recite them in the morning and evening?
The Companion 'Abdullah ibn Khubayb said that on a dark, rainy night they went out looking for the Prophet ﷺ to lead them in prayer. When they found him, he said to him: "Say." He did not know what to say, and the Prophet ﷺ repeated it. Then he said: "Say Qul huwa Allahu ahad and the two surahs of refuge in the evening and in the morning three times; they will suffice you against everything" (reported by al-Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan sahih).
The morning is from dawn, and the evening from 'Asr to the night. Many people recite them after the Fajr and Maghrib prayers so they are never forgotten. Our free morning and evening adhkar sheet puts them alongside the other remembrances of the day.
How can you teach them to your children?
These are often the first surahs a child learns, and for good reason. They are short, rhythmic, and give a child something real to do when they are frightened.
- Make it part of bedtime. Recite them over your child each night in the Sunnah way. Before long, they will start reciting along, and then on their own.
- Explain one verse at a time. "Allah is the Lord of the morning, so He can protect us in the dark." Simple meanings make the words stick.
- Use the free sheets. Our printable sheets for Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas set out each surah with its meaning, ready for the fridge or the bedroom wall.
- Have them checked. Short surahs learned early are often learned with small mistakes, such as a missing shaddah and ghunnah on the noon of an-nas, that last for years. A qualified teacher can catch these in a few minutes.
Sources
- Sahih Muslim 814: 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir, "Have you not seen verses revealed tonight, the like of which has never been seen?"
- Sahih al-Bukhari 5017: 'A'ishah, the Prophet ﷺ recited the three surahs into his hands each night, wiped over his body, and did so three times.
- Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3575: 'Abdullah ibn Khubayb, the three surahs morning and evening three times suffice against everything.
- The Qur'an, Surahs Al-Ikhlas (112), Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114).