The Holy Qur'an (Maulana Muhammad Ali)/114. The Men

CHAPTER CXIV

THE MEN

(An-Nás)

Revealed at Mecca

(6 verses)

General remark.

The introductory note on the last chapter may also be read here.

	In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.	بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ۝
	1 Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of men,	قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۝١
	2 The King of men,	مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ۝٢
	3 The God of men,	إِلَهِ النَّاسِ ۝٣
	4 From the evil of the whisperings of the slinking (devil),	مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ۝٤
Ar. breasts	5 Who whispers into the hearts of men,	الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ۝٥
	6 From among the jinn and the men.[1]	مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ ۝٦

1. These verses are, as it were, a complement to the previous chapter. Three kinds of mischief are pointed out there which may be done to the cause of truth. Here a fourth, but the gravest mischief of all, is pointed out. This is the mischief of the slinking devil who comes stealthily and casts evil suggestions into the hearts of men. The whispering of the evil one is the greatest mischief because its source is in the hearts of men (v. 5). The word khannás is derived from khanasa, meaning he held back or hung back, and also he hid himself (TA-LL), and al-khannás is the devil, because he retires or shrinks or hides himself (Msb-LL).
   The Lord is here called the Lord, the King and the God of men, Lordship implying a certain control, as that of a master over a servant, Kingship implying the next higher degree of it, as that of a ruler over his subjects; while Godhead implies a complete control and a thorough knowledge of the whole of creation. Or, Rabb is the nourisher and sustainer of men, Malik is the holder of control over them, and iláh is the one who deserves to be worshipped, i.e. to be made the goal of one’s life.