The Daybreak is the 113th chapter of the Qur'an. It is a brief five verseinvocation, asking God for protection from the evil: Sale notes:
Transliteration
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ 1. qul a'ụżu birabbil-falaq مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ 2. min sharri mā khalaq وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِق إِذَا وَقَ 3. wa min sharri gāsiqin iżā waqab وَمِن شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ 4. wa min sharrin-naffāṡāti fil-'uqad وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ 5. wa min sharri ḥāsidin iżā ḥasad
Context
This surah and the 114th surah in the Qur'an, an-Nās, are collectively referred to as al-Mu'awwidhatayn "the Refuges", as both begin with "I seek refuge", an-Nās tells to seek God for refuge from the evil from within, while al-Falaq tells to seek God for refuge from the evil from outside, so reading both of them would protect a person from his own mischief and the mischief of others. Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation, it is an earlier "Meccan surah", which means it is believed to have been revealed in Mecca, instead of later in Medina. The word "al-Falaq" in the first verse, a generic term referring to the process of 'splitting', has been restricted in most translations to one particular type of splitting, namely 'daybreak' or 'dawn'. Verse 4 refers to one of soothsayer techniques to partially tie a knot, utter a curse and spit into the knot and pull it tight. In the pre-Islamic period, soothsayers claimed the power to cause various illnesses. According to soothsayers the knot had to be found and untied before the curse could be lifted. This practice is condemned in verse 4.
Hadith
The first and foremost exegesis/tafsir of the Qur'an is found in hadith of Muhammad. Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Qur'an, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Qur'an. Ḥadīth is literally "speech" or "report", that is a recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with Sirah Rasul Allah these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah. According to Aishah, the life of Prophet Muhammad was practical implementation of Qur'an. Therefore, higher count of hadith elevates the importance of the pertinent surah from a certain perspective. This surah was held in special esteem in hadith, which can be observed by these related narratives. According to hadith, the prophet Muhammad used to recite this surah before sleeping every night.
Abu 'Abdullah narrated that Ibn 'Abis Al-Juhani told him that: The Messenger of Allah said to him: "O Ibn 'Abis, shall I not tell you of the best thing with which those who seek refuge with Allah may do so?" He said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak.", "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind." - these two Surahs."
Aishah reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah went to bed, he would blow upon his hands recite Al-Mu'awwidhat; and pass his hands over his body.
Aishah said : Every night when he prophet went to his bed, he joined his hands and breathed into them, reciting into them:”say: he is Allah, One” and say ; I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn and Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of men. Then he would wipe as much of his body as he could with his hands, beginning with his head, his face and the front of his body, doing that three times.
Uqba ibn Amir reported: The Messenger of Allah said: "Do you not know that last night certain Ayat were revealed the like of which there is no precedence. They are: 'Say: I seek refuge with the Rubb of the daybreak', and 'Say: I seek refuge with the Rubb of mankind'."
