Isti`adhah and Tasmiyah

The rulings pertaining to Isti`adhah and Tasmiyyah

The meaning of Isti`adhah and its importance

I seek refuge with Allah against the outcast (the cursed one) Satan.

A Muslim seeks refuge with Allah against Satan at the beginning of recitation to ward off Satan's insinuation who interrupts and confuses one's recitation or prevents a person from thinking and reflecting on the meanings of the Qur'an. Allah (He may be Glorified) says: So when you recite the Qur'ân, seek refuge with Allâh from Shaitân (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one). [Surat An-Nahl: 98]. The meaning is: I seek refuge with Allah against Satan who does not provide any good lest he may harm me in my religion and my worldly life, and prevents me from doing good or incites me to do evil.

People seek refuge with Allah against Satan because of his severe enmity to the children of Adam and tries hard to turn them away from the truth. He made an oath for that when he said: By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them. [Surat Sad: 82 - 83]. Allah has warned the children of Adam against Satan when He says: Surely, Shaitân (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. [Surat Fatir: 6].

Isti`adhah is permissible before recitation as stated by scholars.

As for Tasmiyyah which is mentioning the name of Allah at the beginning of every Surah, it is preferable to separate between Surahs by saying Tasmiyyah except one Surah which is Bara`ah [Surat At-Tawbah] because it has no Tasmiyah.