Means of protecting oneself

  • Continuously reciting Qur’an, for Shaytan flees from the house in which the Qur’an is recited.

    Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (s) said: ‘Do not make your houses graveyards. Indeed Satan flees from the house in which the chapter of Al-Baqarah is recited.’
    (Muslim)

  • Saying ‘Bismillah’ (I begin with the name of Allah) whenever doing anything, for this would be a means of protection from Satan. The Prophet (s) said: ‘The protective barrier that prevents the Jinn from looking at the private parts of the children of Adam is to say ‘Bismillah’.’
    (Tirmidhi)
  • To supplicate Allah for goodness when he sees himself, his family or children excelling in goodness; such as to say, ‘O Allah grant him of Your bounty, and protect him from harm’ or to say: ‘Mashallah tabaarakal-laah’ (What Allah wills [comes to pass], may Allah bless it for you)
  • To seek refuge with Allah to protect himself and his family and children, from all evils. The Prophet (s) used to do this for al-Hasan and al-Husain. He would say: ‘Your father would do this with Isma’eel and Ishaaq,
    'A'eedthukuma bi kalimaatil'laahit-taam'maat min kulli shaytaanin wa haa'ma'tin wa min kulli 'ainin laa'ma.’


    Meaning: I seek refuge for both of you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and every poisonous thing and from the evil eye which influences.
    (Abu Dawud)

  • Being mindful of Allah at all times, and uttering Dhikr (remembrance). Allah says: (Therefore remember Me, so that I may remember you, and be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful.)
    (2:152)

    Abdullah. Bishr said that a man said to the Messenger of Allah: ‘The Shari’ah laws are many, so inform me of something which I can adhere to!’ The Messenger of Allah (s) said: ‘Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.’
    (Tirmithi)

    Allah remembers he who is mindful of Him. Allah says: ‘I am just as My slave thinks I am, and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too remember him; and if he remembers Me in a group of people I remember him in a group that is better than them; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.’
    (Bukhari)



    Allah has mentioned in His Book that continuously remembering Him is a cause for lifting and waiving calamities after they have befallen. Allah says: (And Younus was also one of the Messengers. When he fled to the laden ship, he cast lots and lost. Then the whale swallowed him, and he was blameworthy. Had he not been of those who glorify God, he would certainly have stayed in its belly.)
    (37:139-144)

    Continuously remembering Allah is a cause for one’s supplication to be accepted by Allah, and it too is a fortification which would safeguard the slave. The Prophet (s) said:
    ‘Indeed Allah inspired Yahya. Zakariyyah with five words which He ordered him with and the children of Israel. It seemed that he had delayed conveying this message to them, so Eesa said to him: ‘Allah has ordered you to convey to your people five words which you should apply, so either you convey it to them, or I will convey it to them!’ He said: ‘O Eesa, do not, for I fear that if you convey them, Allah will punish me, or the earth will swallow me.
    So he gathered the children of Israel in the Masjid in Jerusalem, and it became packed, until they sat in the window sills, he then addressed them saying:
    ‘Indeed Allah has ordered me to convey to you five words which you should apply; first, do not associate any partners with Allah, for the example of the one who associates partners with Allah is like a man who bought a slave with his own gold and silver, and then housed him in his house and said to him: ‘work and bring me the proceeds’. Yet he was working and giving the proceeds to someone other than his master. So who of you would be pleased with his slave if he does this? Allah, has created you, and provided for you so do not associate any partners with him.
    When you perform prayers, do not look about, for Allah would look at His slave as long as he does not turn about in his prayer.
    I command you to fast, and the example of that is like a man in a group who has a pouch of musk, everyone would want to smell its scents, and fasting is more beautiful to Allah than the scent of musk.
    I order you to give out charity, and the example of that is like a man who was captured by the enemy. They tied his hand to his neck, and brought him forward to be beheaded, and he said to them, will you allow me to ransom myself from you? He gave them a little and a lot, until he ransomed himself from them, so I order you to remember Allah a lot. And the example of the remembrance of Allah is like a man who was chased by the enemy, and he then came to a fortified fortress, and stayed therein and saved himself from the enemy. Likewise, the slave would not be saved from Satan unless he remembers Allah.’
    The Prophet (s) then said: ‘I command you with five things; Allah has ordered me to stay with the general assembly of Muslims, to listen and obey, emigrate to the lands of Islam, and Jihad in the path of Allah.
    Whoever deviates from the general assembly of Muslims the distance of a cubit, would have exited the folds of Faith and Islam, and whoever calls with the Da’wah of Jaahiliyah he is from the fuel of the Fire.
    It was said O Messenger of Allah, even if he fasts, and prays. He said: ‘even if he fasts and prays’. So call people to the path of Allah, Who has called you believers and Muslims, slaves of Allah.’
    (Tirmidthi)

    Remembrance of Allah would suffice if one cannot recite the Qur’an. Abdullah. Abi O’faa, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘a man came to the Prophet of Allah (s) and said:
    ‘O Messenger of Allah, I cannot memorize the Qur’an, so teach me something which would suffice me. He said: ‘Say: Subhanaalah (Far removed is Allah from every imperfection), Alhadmulilah (All praise is due to Allah), Laa ilaaha il’laa Allah (There is nothing worthy of being worshipped except Allah alone), Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest) and Laa hawla wa laa quwata il’laa bil’laah (No situation will change to a better one, nor is there strength, without the will of Allah).’
    The man said: ‘This is for Allah…what is for me?’ He (s) said
    'O Allah forgive me, and have mercy on me, guide me and pardon me, and provide me.' When [the man] stood up, he made a sign with his hand (indicating that he had earned a lot). The Messenger of Allah (s) said: ‘His hands were filled with goodness.’
    (Abu Dawud)

    Remembrance of Allah would keep Shaytan away and safeguard him from the whispering of Shaytan.

    Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (s) said:
    ‘Shaytan would tie three knots at a man’s head while he is asleep, and would say you have a long night so sleep. When he wakes up and mentions the name of Allah, one knot would be undone. And if he performs wudhu, another would be undone. And if he prays, the last knot would be undone, and he would become very energetic and would have a good character, otherwise he would be of bad character and lazy.’
    (Bukhari)

    The Prophet (s) informed us of the punishment of the one who stays away from the dhikr of Allah, saying: (But whosoever turns away from My remembrance He shall surely have a straitened life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.)
    (20:124)