Surah Al-Falaq (الْفَلَق) — The Daybreak
Al-Falaq is the second-to-last surah in the Quran. Five verses, all about asking Allah for protection. It comes paired with An-Nas, the surah right after it, and together they're called the mu'awwidhatayn, the two refuges.
The whole surah is one long sentence. I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the harm of what He created, from the harm of dark night when it settles in, from the harm of those who blow on knots (which is how the Quran describes sorcery), and from the harm of an envious person when they envy.
What's interesting is the order. The harms get more specific as you go. Verse two is everything bad in creation. Verse three narrows to the dark of night, when fear shows up. Verse four narrows again to people who do harm through unseen means. Verse five lands on the most personal one. Envy. Someone you might know, who looks at what you have and resents you for it.
There's a famous hadith in Bukhari about this surah. The Prophet ﷺ (PBUH) was once affected by sihr (a kind of sorcery) and Allah revealed Al-Falaq and An-Nas as the cure. The Prophet ﷺ would recite both surahs every night before sleep, three times, blowing into his hands and wiping them over his body. Many Muslims still do this exact Sunnah today, particularly when they feel something is off, like a run of bad luck or a sense that someone has the evil eye on them.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Falaq?
Five verses. It's the second-to-last surah in the Quran.
What is Surah Al-Falaq for?
Protection from external harm. Specifically the dark of night, sorcery, and the envy of people around you. It's paired with An-Nas, which covers internal harm like whispers and doubts.
When did the Prophet ﷺ recite Surah Al-Falaq?
Every night before sleep, along with Al-Ikhlas and An-Nas, three times each. He'd blow into his hands and wipe them over his body. This is recorded in Bukhari and a lot of Muslims still follow it.