Last updated on May 30th, 2025 at 05:58 pm
The 4 Quls, also known as the Qul Shareef of the Holy Quran, are four important surahs that play a special role in Islam. They’re placed near the end of the 30th Juz or 30th Chapter in modern compilations of the Quran, among several other short surahs that are easy to recite and memorize.
These surahs offer several benefits to the believer who recites and understands them. Many sources state that the four Quls are a means of seeking Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) protection along with spiritual well-being. They can also bring inner peace to the heart, especially if recited regularly and with sincerity. While Muslims may already be familiar with these surahs, it’s essential to revisit the Qur’anic text and re-examine its significance. This way, we can remind ourselves of the important lessons and spirituality these words contain.
Without further ado, let’s start discussing the Four Quls and what they offer to the Muslims.
Names of the Four Quls
The names of these four quls are Surah Al-Kafirun (The Disbelievers), Surah Al-Ikhlas (The Purity of Faith), Surah Al-Falaq (The Daybreak), and Surah An-Naas (The People).
Understanding the Four Quls
Each of these surahs begins with the word ‘Qul’. It’s an Arabic word that means ‘say’; essentially, it’s Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s command to the Prophet (ﷺ) that he should affirm the important truths mentioned in these Surahs.
We will now discuss each of the Four Qul Surahs in some detail.
Surah Al-Ikhlas: The Affirmation of Tawhid
The title of Surah Al-Ikhlas translates to ‘The Purity of Faith’. It’s a powerful surah that declares the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), which is also known as Tawhid. Muslims need to hold on to the core idea that there is only One God. From there, they imbibe the idea that we are to turn to Him and depend on Him alone.
of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s oneness. It is one of the four Quranic verses that emphasize Tawheed, the core belief in God’s oneness.
Here is the transliteration and English translation of Surah Al-Ikhlas (Quran 112):
Qul Huwa Allah u Ahad,Allah u Samad,Lam yalid wa lam yoolad,Wa lam yakul lahu kufuwan ahad
(Say, He is Allah, [who is] One),(Allah, the Eternal Refuge),(He neither begets nor is born),(Nor is there to Him any equivalent)
Surah Ikhlas as One-Third of the Quran
There have been many Hadith traditions that describe this Surah as one-third of the Holy Quran. One of these is as follows:
A man heard another man reciting (Surat-Al-Ikhlas) ‘Say He is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), (the) One.’ (112.1) repeatedly. The next morning, he came to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him about it as if he thought that it was not enough to recite. On that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “By Him in Whose Hand my life is, this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur’an!” (Bukhari 5013)
The meaning of Surah Al-Ikhlas, being one-third of the Quran, lies in its message. It emphasizes the importance of Tawhid in Islamic beliefs. Basically, around one-third of the Quran’s messaging is that we have to believe fully in the Unity and Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to be true practicing Muslims.
We will now look at each line of Surah Al-Ikhlas to understand it in the best manner:
Here, the believer is commanded to say that there is only one Deity worthy of worship, who is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). We have to make this verbal and mental affirmation before going any further.
Here, we learn that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the One Sustainer of the world and everything else in creation say: He is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), the One.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), the Sustainer/Self-Sufficient
He is enough in Himself and does not depend on anyone else. Rather, it is us who depend on Him for everything.
He has no father and no son.
Tawhid also means the belief that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has no offspring and no parents. He is perfect and always has been.
And there is no equivalent to Him.
We finish with an additional affirmation that there is nothing like Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and never will be.
Surah Al-Falaq: Asking for Protection from Various Evils
The Arabic word ‘Falaq’ refers to the dawn or daybreak, a time when it feels like the light is overcoming the darkness. Another meaning of this word is ‘cleaving’ or ‘splitting’, symbolizing that something is coming out from hiding.
In the context of the Surah, the reference is to ‘The Lord of the Falaq’ who is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) alone is the One who brings forward light from the depths of darkness or creates life where there was none before. He is also the only One who can bring clarity to the thought of an unguided person and protect us from evils that we may not even see.
Here is the Surah Al-Falaq transliteration and English translation:
Qul A’oodhu bi rabbil-falaq,Min sharri ma khalaq,Wa min sharri ghaasiqin izhaa waqab,Wa min sharrin naffasathi fil ‘uqad,Wa min sharri khaasidin izhaa khasad
Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, From the evil of that which He created, And from the evil of darkness when it settles, And from the evil of the blowers in knots, And from the evil of an envier when he envies
· Seeking Protection
The emphasis for Surah Falaq is asking Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to protect us from evils such as envy, black magic, and any form of darkness. It also teaches Muslims that the unseen is full of danger, so we must seek refuge from it as well as from more apparent danger. At the end of the day, it is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s light that will shine through and free us from all evils.
We will now look at a line-by-line discussion of Surah Al-Falaq to understand it better:
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn.
When the sun rises, it seems like all the evil things have been banished for some time. It is Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) who brings this light and a sense of order into the world. Therefore, we ask Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for His protection from the chaos that might bring us harm.
From the evil of creation
We know that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has created everything and everyone. The evildoers are also part of creation, so Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) alone has the power to control them. While Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has given them free will, we may ask our Creator for protection from their harm.
And from the evil of darkness when it settles
When the darkness settles, meaning when it’s the dead of the night, it’s the perfect time for causing harm to others. Hence, we seek refuge from these harms. The darkness may also refer to the misguidance and corruption that has firmly settled in the world now.
And from the evil of those who blow on knots,
This verse refers to the practice of blowing on knots, which is a primitive form of black magic.
And from the evil of the envier when he envies.
This verse tells us that envy is one of the evils that we should seek refuge from. It causes people to have bad intentions and is also one of the main reasons why they start practicing evil.
Surah An-Naas: Protection from Internal Evils
Surah Falaq and Surah Naas were revealed together as protective surahs, also called the Al-Mu‘awwidhatayn. Both of these are about seeking refuge from evil. While Surah Falaq is about refuge from external evils, Surah Naas, the very last surah in the Holy Quran, is more about the internal kind of evil. These include the whisperings of the Shaytaan (waswasay) and any negative or evil thoughts that might enter our minds.
Below is the transliteration and English translation for Surah An-Naas:
Qul A’oozhu birabbin-naas,Malikin-naas,Ilaahin-naas,Min sharril waswaasil khannaas,Allazhee yuwaswisu fee sudoorin-naas,Minal-jinnati wan-naas
Say, I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws, Who whispers in the breasts of mankind, Among jinn and mankind.
· Seeking Complete Protection From all Danger
Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) has cited this surah as a sort of spiritual shield that can help to ward off spiritual, psychological, and other internal harms. We should recite this daily with the other three Quls for complete protection.
Let’s now look at a line-by-line discussion of Surah An-Naas:
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind,
First, we are to say that we seek refuge with the One who owns all of creation. Since Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) created everything and everyone, He can also protect us from all harm.
The King of mankind,
We call upon Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and acknowledge that He is the King of all mankind and the rest of creation. He is the One in control over all of it, which makes Him the true Sovereign.
The God of mankind,
Here, we acknowledge that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the only God of the world. He is the only one we should be calling out to and worshipping.
From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws,
This verse refers mainly to Shaytaan, who whispers and then withdraws. The same applies to people who do any evil such as backbiting, gossiping, or sowing seeds of distrust. They whisper and then back off, leaving their evil to misguide others. Hence, this verse is about seeking protection from such entities.
Who whispers into the hearts of mankind,
This verse again emphasizes that people and the Shaytaan embeds doubt and evil in our hearts and minds.
From among the jinn and among mankind.
This verse affirms that the evil whisperings can come from humans and jinns both. We should be aware of both the physical and spiritual realms, seeking protection from the harms of both.
Surah Al-Kafirun: Complete Rejection of False Beliefs
This surah emphasizes that there is a clear difference between the belief of Muslims and the kafirs (disbelievers). We should be aware of this demarcation and never think that the main beliefs of Islam could be compromised.
Below is the transliteration and English translation of Surah Al-Kafiroon:
Qul yā ayyuhal-kāfirūn.
Lā aʿbudu mā taʿbudūn.
Wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud.
Wa lā ana ʿābidum mā ʿabadtum.
Wa lā antum ʿābidūna mā aʿbud.
Lakum dīnukum wa liya dīn.
Say, “O disbelievers,”
I do not worship what you worship.
Nor do you worship what I worship.
And I will not worship what you worship.
Nor will you worship what I worship.
To you be your religion and to me my religion.
· A Firm Rejection
This surah came down when the leaders of the Quraysh tribe in Makkah wanted a compromise from the Prophet (ﷺ). They said that they will follow Islam for one year if the Prophet (ﷺ) will be an idol worshipper for a year as well. With Surah Al-Kafiroon, we get a firm rejection of any such idea. There is to be no compromise on the monotheism of Islam. Tawhid is a complete belief, while polytheism is the opposite of this core Islamic concept.
Let’s now look at Surah Al-Kafiroon line by line to understand it better:
Say: O disbelievers!
Here, the Prophet (ﷺ) is instructed to address the disbelievers.
I do not worship what you worship.
This verse affirms that Muslims do not worship what the idol worshipers worship. There is to be no confusion about this point. Some idol worshipers may say that they actually worship God through the idols; that is not an acceptable path for Muslims.
Nor do you worship what I worship.
This verse affirms that idol worshippers also do not worship or believe like the Muslims do. It is important to understand here that these verses are not meant to sow enmity for anyone. They are merely statements that clarify religious distinctions.
And I will not worship what you worship.
Here we get a direct answer; the Prophet (ﷺ) and his followers will not worship anyone or anything other than Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Nor will you worship what I worship.
There’s a bit of repetition here to emphasize the undeniable difference in beliefs.
To you be your religion and to me my religion.
Finally, the concluding statement confirms freedom of religion while acknowledging the differences. There is also a final acknowledgment that the Prophet (ﷺ) will keep his religion and the leaders of the Quraysh may keep theirs without trying to adhere to a temporary version of Islam.
Recitation for Protection
When recited together, these short surahs give us a powerful spiritual shield. They each have different roles:
- Surah Ikhlas affirms the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)
- Surah Al-Kafiroon affirms that our faith is complete in itself and not like any other
- Surah Al-Falaq is for seeking refuge from external evils
- Surah An-Naas is for seeking refuge from internal evils
Overall, these four surahs encompass all the ways in which we humans are vulnerable to harm or evil. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has sent them as a means of seeking His protection in the best possible manner.
Sunnah of Reciting the Four Quls:
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) had a consistent habit of reciting the 4 Quls and recommending them as a way of connecting to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) along with spiritual healing. Below is one of the most known Hadith about the
Narrated ‘Aisha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا):
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over them after reciting Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to do those three times. (Bukhari 5017)
Conclusion
These Four Quls are short and easily memorized, so every Muslim should know them by heart. They’re also useful and powerful tools that we may use for spiritual protection. Regularly reciting them can help to protect our body, soul, and mind while also strengthening our faith in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). With the world so full of spiritual challenges every day, we can make use of these easy surahs to get the maximum positive effect on our lives. Make the Four Quls a part of your recitation routine, and you’ll soon get more inner peace and a deep comfort of being in the protection of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
FAQs
- What benefits can we expect by reciting the 4 Quls?
One of the top benefits and virtues of reciting the 4 Quls is the protection we gain from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Shaytan is constantly trying to whisper evil intentions and sow seeds of envy inside our hearts. Muslims need to battle these attacks very frequently; if we don’t, the whisperings may lead to several spiritual illnesses and even physical issues.
- Why are they called the Four Quls?
These four surahs all start with the same word, which is ‘qul’. ‘Qul’ translated into ‘say’, as Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is commanding the believers to affirm an important aspect of the deen. While there are other surahs that start with the same word, these four surahs are usually mentioned together because they’re grouped very closely in the Holy Quran. Plus, there are Hadith narrations that support the recitation of the Four Quls together.
- How many times should we recite the Four Qul?
The usual practice is reciting the Four Quls three, five, or more times. An odd number of recitations is usually preferred, but there’s no hard and fast rule about it. The more times we recite the Quls, the more reward and protection we will receive, Insha’Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
What is the main purpose of reciting the Four Quls in Islam?
The Four Quls are usually recited to gain protection from a number of potential harms. These include black magic, the evil eye, etc. Plus, the recitation also brings us spiritual benefits, the blessings of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and inner peace.
How should we recite the Four Quls?
While we can recite these surahs at any time, it’s usually recommended that we follow the Sunnah practices. One of these is to recite the Four Quls several times a day; after doing wudu, after we wake up first thing in the morning, and just before going to sleep.
Why is it important to recite the Four Quls?
Reciting the Four Quls is important for seeking protection from various problematic influences. These include the dangers of committing shirk or associating partners with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), other people’s bad intentions, and the effects of witchcraft/black magic. Reciting these surahs may help to stop or lessen the effect of the whisperings of the Shaytan as well.
