Surah An-Nas – Abdul Bari Mohammed

An-Nas ("The Mankind", or simply "Mankind") is the 114th and last surah of the Quran, in Juz' Amma. Meccan in the standard classification, though many scholars consider it Medinan, it has 6 verses and is the 21st surah in the traditional order of revelation, after Al-Falaq, with which it forms al-Mu'awwidhatan, the two surahs of seeking refuge.

It invokes God by three attributes, each joined to mankind: "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind" (114:1-3), against a single evil, the retreating whisperer who whispers into people's hearts, from among jinn and men (114:4-6). Ibn al-Qayyim observed that Al-Falaq seeks protection from harm that comes from outside, An-Nas from the inner whisperings that lead to sin.

The Prophet ﷺ told Uqba ibn Amir that no one has sought refuge with anything like these two surahs (Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i; sahih) and told him to recite them after every prayer (Abu Dawud, sahih). He also taught that reciting Al-Ikhlas and the Mu'awwidhatan three times in the evening and morning suffices against everything (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi; hasan sahih).