From the evil of everything He created. One sweeping phrase — covers all harm in existence.
3Words — all harm, one phrase
ش-ر-رRoot — evil, harm
مَا خَلَقَEverything He created
1 / 5
Stage 2 of 5 · Break It
مِن شَرِّمَاخَلَقَ
Min sharri mā khalaqa
Word 1مِن شَرِّmin sharriFrom the evil ofPreposition + noun
Word 2مَاmāWhatever / everything thatGeneral relative — all-inclusive
Word 3خَلَقَkhalaqaHe createdPast verb — divine act
2 / 5
Stage 3 of 5 · Discover It
🌱 The Root of This Verse
ش
—
ر
—
ر
Evil · Harm · Malice
Root ش-ر-ر appears 162 times in the Quran
شَرَّ
sharra — to be evilVerb form
شَرّ
sharr — evil / harmThis verse
أَشَرّ
asharr — more evil / worseComparative
شِرِّير
shirrīr — an evil personIntensive form
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ is deliberately all-encompassing. Al-Sa'di: مَا (whatever) includes every created thing — animals, humans, jinn, weather, disease, every source of harm. This single phrase seeks refuge from all harm in all of creation.
Source: تفسير السعدي · تفسير ابن كثير
3 / 5
Stage 4 of 5 · Connect It
🌍
All Creation, All Harm
Al-Sa'di: evil doesn't come from Allah — it comes from created things. Fire burns, diseases spread, people harm — all are created things.Seeking refuge from 'what He created' covers everything that exists as a potential source of harm.
🔑
The General Before the Specific
Ibn Kathir: verse 2 states the general — all evil. Verses 3-5 then specify three particular types of harm. The Quran's method: state the principle, then detail the applications.
💡
Evil Is Created, Not Eternal
Al-Sa'di: this verse also establishes that evil is not a separate eternal force — it is in created things, and Allah is above creation. There is no equal power of evil in Islam — only Allah exists eternally.
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ One phrase. Every source of harm in existence. And the Lord of Daybreak covers it all.
✦ Share this insight
Insights: تفسير السعدي · تفسير ابن كثير
4 / 5
Stage 5 of 5 · Seal It
مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
Min sharri mā khalaqa
Quick Check
Why does مَا (whatever) make this verse so powerful?