Isti'adha Seeking Allah's Protection from Satan

BOOK ID

Author(s): Ayatullah Sayyid Abdul Husayn Dastghaib Shirazi

Translator(s): Sayyid Tahir Bilgrami

Publisher(s): World Islamic Network (WIN)

Category: Supplications Spirituality

Topic Tags: Istiadha

Featured Category: Spirituality

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An explanation of Istiadha through its five aspects namely, piety, remembrance of Allah, resignation on the wishes of Allah, honesty of purpose and humility in supplication.

Translator’s Note 

In my early childhood my grandmother used to tell us that when we had any fear of darkness or we found ourselves in any lonely place, we should recite:

أَعُوْذُ بِاللٌّهِ مِنَ الشَّیْطَانِ الرَّجِیمِ

I seek refuge from Satan, the cursed one

She told us that when we recited this, the Shaitan or the evil spirits, if they were around, would run away. She asked us to recite this whenever we came out of our home, while going to school or any other place. She also asked us to say these words before we said:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Before eating our food or commencing any work. Later on, during our theology classes at the school I learnt about the basics of Isti’adha.

Recently I have read a compendium of transcripts of 30 lectures, Sermons, given by the Shahīd al-Mihrab Ayatullah Dastaghaib Shirazi. The erudite scholar has very skilfully encompassed all the aspects of Isti’adha drawing references from the authentic traditions and the Holy Book.

Without going into the technicalities, which are for the scholars and the researchers to delve in, the Ayatullah has give a very apt explanation of the concept

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