(p-406) The purpose of Surah Al-Falaq is to seek refuge from the evil of everything that has emerged from creation, both the apparent and the hidden. Its name clearly indicates this: 'In the name of Allah,' to whom belongs all power, 'the Most Gracious,' who encompasses all perfection of grace, 'the Most Merciful,' who has completed all bounties upon the people of His affection with peace from the One who is truthful in His words.

This is because He, glorified and exalted is He, began this wise mention with guidance in His saying: ﴿Guide us to the straight path﴾ [Al-Fatiha: 6], and with guidance and piety, which is the emblem of the repentant in His saying: ﴿A guidance for the righteous﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 2]. This is the first station of the veiled ones, and He concluded with the affirmation of the matter of Tawhid in a manner that cannot be imagined to be more complete than it, and the affirmation of sincerity in it as felt by the command of 'Say,' and this is the end of the stations for the knowers. Thus, the religion was completed, and the journey of the seekers came to an end, and the conclusion of the sincerity affirming that He, glorified and exalted is He, has no equal. Therefore, the motives to turn to Him and to devote oneself to Him were abundant.

And it has settled down and found peace with it, just as the traveler finds comfort in returning home.

He commanded seeking refuge with the Lord of this religion, in agreement with 'You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help,' from the evil of that which may harm it, whether in the apparent or in the hidden, and they are the creatures, even in the state of annihilation in abundance. He began with what encompasses the devils of mankind and jinn in the apparent and the hidden, then followed with what encompasses the two tribes and specifically addresses the hidden, which necessitates its rectification for the rectification of the apparent. This indicates the honor of the hidden in a way that does not compromise the apparent. In this, there is a hint to encourage the repetition of reading from the beginning of the Quran, as indicated by His saying: ﴿So when you recite the Quran﴾ [An-Nahl: 98] - meaning, when you intend to recite it - ﴿then seek refuge with Allah from the accursed devil﴾ [An-Nahl: 98]. He said: ﴿Say﴾, meaning to everyone who receives the words from all the creatures, as a teaching for them and a command, for they are all subservient and overpowered, and there is no salvation for them from any harm except by His protection, glorified and exalted is He. Therefore, each of them should turn, as soon as the calamity befalls them, to their Lord, who is capable of removing it, correcting their reliance, for this elevates them to a state of contentment with the bitterness of the decree. They should not rely on their own strength and management with their own power, for this will only increase their sorrow and will not repel anything from them: ﴿I seek refuge﴾ [meaning -] I seek shelter, I take refuge, I hold fast, and I protect myself.

And when this meaning is the most appropriate characteristic of the Lordship, because seeking refuge from harm is the greatest nurturing, He said: ﴿By the Lord of the Dawn﴾, meaning the One who nurtures it and brings forth from it what He wills. It is the created thing that has been brought into existence, dispelling the darkness of non-existence, like the springs that have split the darkness of the earth and mountains, and like the rains that have split the darkness of the atmosphere and clouds, and like the plants that have split the darkness of the soil, and like the children that have split the darkness of the wombs, and like the dawn that has split the darkness of the night. And what was from the isolation to what resulted from that, from tranquility, stillness, companionship, and joy, and other than that from all of the creatures. Al-Malawi said: And the dawn - with stillness and movement - is everything that has split from the darkness of non-existence and has brought into existence all of the beings. It has been specified in common usage as the dawn, and it is said: the splitting of the dawn, and from it is His saying, the Exalted: ﴿He who splits the dawn﴾ [Al-An'am: 96], because it is evident in the change of state and the resemblance to the Day of Resurrection, which is the greatest splitting that cleaves the darkness of annihilation and destruction with resurrection and revival. For certainly, the One who is capable of what precedes it, by what we observe, is capable of it, because there is no difference. Rather, resurrection is easier in the experiences of people, for it is a return, as are all other capabilities. And whoever is able to do that is able to grant refuge to the one seeking refuge from all that he fears and is afraid of.