An-Naas — Mankind
سُورَةُ النَّاسِ
Verses
6
Revealed
21st
Period
Makkan
Juz
30
An-Naas is the final surah of the Qur'an and the second of the two mu'awwidhatan — the surahs of refuge. Where Al-Falaq sought protection from external harms, An-Naas turns inward, to the most intimate threat of all: the whisper that slips into the human heart. It opens by invoking Allah under three of His relationships to mankind — their Lord, their Sovereign, their God — building a complete shelter before naming the danger.
That danger is al-waswas al-khannas — the whisperer who withdraws. It is the prompting of evil, urging wrong from within the breast, then retreating when a person turns to Allah, only to return again. The surah's closing verse reveals that this whispering comes from two sources — among the jinn and among mankind — reminding us that the subtlest enemy may wear a familiar face. Together with Al-Falaq, the Prophet ﷺ recited An-Naas nightly for protection.
Refuge in AllahThree relationships to mankindThe whisperer withinJinn and mankind
Before you begin
Start with sincerity — ask Allah to make this easy for you and to let what you learn benefit you. A short dua to begin with:
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Rabbi zidni ‘ilma — “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Qur'an 20:114)
Core message
The surah is a commanded prayer of refuge — qul a'udhu (say: I seek refuge). It builds its shelter on three names of Allah in relation to people: Rabb an-nas (Lord of mankind), Malik an-nas (Sovereign of mankind), and Ilah an-nas (God of mankind). Then it names the threat: al-waswas al-khannas — the whisperer who withdraws — who whispers evil into the breasts of people, and who comes from both jinn and mankind.
1–3
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ•مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ•إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ
Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind. The God of mankind,
4–6
مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ•ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ•مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
From the evil of the retreating whisperer - Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - From among the jinn and mankind."
Memory hook — three names, then the one enemy
The surah has two clear halves. The first three verses each end on an-nas and ascend through three relationships: Rabb (Lord) → Malik (Sovereign) → Ilah (God). The last three verses describe the single enemy: the khannas (one who retreats), who whispers in the breasts, coming from jinn and mankind. The repeated word an-nas threads through almost every verse — let that refrain carry the rhythm.
<em>al-khannas</em> — the one who slinks away
The word khannas describes one who lurks and then withdraws. Scholars explain the pattern of the whisperer: it prompts toward evil, but when a person remembers Allah it shrinks back, then returns the moment heedlessness sets in. The cure is therefore built into the surah itself — the very act of seeking refuge in Allah drives the whisperer away.
An-Naas — key words
أَعُوذُ
a'udhu
I seek refuge
v.1 — the act of taking shelter in Allah
رَبِّ
rabb
Lord / Sustainer
v.1 — the first relationship to mankind
مَلِكِ
malik
Sovereign / King
v.2 — the second relationship to mankind
إِلَٰهِ
ilah
God / the One worshipped
v.3 — the third relationship to mankind
ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ
al-waswas
The whisperer
v.4 — the source of the inner prompting to evil
ٱلْخَنَّاسِ
al-khannas
The one who withdraws / slinks away
v.4 — retreats when Allah is remembered
ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
al-jinnati wan-nas
Jinn and mankind
v.6 — the two sources of the whispering
The closing surah of the Qur'an
An-Naas is six short verses and the final surah of the Qur'an, recited daily by many in the morning and evening remembrances and before sleep, together with Al-Falaq. The recurring word an-nas gives it a distinctive, gentle refrain.
Full surah — single rak'ah
Verses 1–6 · often recited with Al-Falaq as the two surahs of refuge
Recite all six verses in one rak'ah — the surah is short and is never split.
Following the Prophetic practice, An-Nas and Al-Falaq (113) are recited together for protection, including each night before sleep.
Mind the recurring an-nas ending across the verses — recite at a measured pace so the three names (Rabb, Malik, Ilah) stay clear and distinct.
Natural stopping points
v.3
ilahi an-nas — the third of the three names completes the shelter. A natural pause before the threat is named.
v.5
alladhi yuwaswisu fi suduri an-nas — the whisperer's work described. A natural breath before the closing verse.
v.6
mina al-jinnati wan-nas — the final verse of the Qur'an, naming the two sources of the whispering. A complete close before ruku'.