Taáwwudz

First, its contents: Some scholars regard this recitation as the most excellent wording of isti’adzah (seeking refuge). They take as evidence the words of Allah (glorified and exalted is He): فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيم “So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]” (Saheeh International, Qur'an 16:98) (Surah An-Nahl: 98) There is also an athar from Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to recite this wording. حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الْأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ: افْتَتَحَ عُمَرُ الصَّلَاةَ، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ، أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ» [translation not shown] (Ibn Abi Shaibah in his Mushannaf 1/214, no. 2455) So what is the connection between isti’adzah and our prayer? Isti’adzah is asking Allah for protection from every temptation of Satan, and this is something a servant badly needs when he begins his prayer, because prayer is an act of obedience, and Satan strongly dislikes a servant doing an act of obedience, and the devils are very eager to disturb people so that they cannot have khusyu’ (humble focus) in their prayer. That is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught his ummah to recite the isti’adzah when beginning their prayer. عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَاسْتَفْتَحَ صَلَاتَهُ وَكَبَّرَ قَالَ " سُبْحَانَكَ اللهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، تَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ "، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: " لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ " ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: " أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ، مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ، [translation not shown] (Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad 18/51, no. 11473) Second, its contents: This dua is almost the same as the previous recitation, except that here there is an addition of 2 words, namely “as-sami’” and “al-‘alim”. Both of these words are among the most perfect names of Allah, and we seek protection through these names of Allah, namely the All-Hearing and the All-Knowing, unlike the people of jahiliyyah, who sought protection from idols, statues, stones and trees, none of which can hear, none of which know, and none of which will ever be able to know what we need; indeed, far from helping us, they are certainly quite unable even to help themselves. Third, its contents: In this recitation of the ta’awwudz there is the addition (من هَمْزِه، ونَفْخِه، ونَفْثِه), which was interpreted by Amr ibn Murrah: naftsihi is poetry, nafkhihi is arrogance, and hamzihi is madness (the mind being covered). All of these are things that can turn a servant away from carrying out obedience to Allah. Arrogance makes a person feel lofty, so that he refuses to submit to and obey his Creator, as happened to Iblis, may Allah's curse be upon him. Madness, or the mind being covered, also makes a person unable to carry out the obligations Allah has made obligatory, so we find that the obligations are lifted from someone who is insane, and we also find that the Shariah forbids us to consume anything that can cover our minds, such as khamr (intoxicants), and also poems that can make us neglect what Allah has made obligatory. Therefore we must ask Allah for protection from these things. (see: Umdatul Qori Syarh Shohih Al-Bukhori 22/182) Fifth, its contents: It is almost the same as the previous dua, but with the addition: إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيم [translation not shown] This is what some of the salaf added. They took as evidence the words of Allah (glorified and exalted is He): فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيم [translation not shown] (Surah Fushshilat: 36) Among those who recited this wording was Sufyan Ath-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is also one of the wordings recited by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. (Sifatu Shalatin Nabi by At-Tharifi, p. 78).