The darkness when it settles in. Night — when evil moves freely.
4Words — the darkness descending
غ-س-قRoot — darkness, night
وَقَبَTo penetrate — darkness entering
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Stage 2 of 5 · Break It
وَمِن شَرِّغَاسِقٍإِذَاوَقَبَ
Wa-min sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqab
Word 1وَمِن شَرِّwa-min sharriAnd from the evil ofCoordinated — continues list
Word 2غَاسِقٍghāsiqThe darkness / nightActive participle — descending dark
Word 3إِذَاidhāWhenTemporal conditional
Word 4وَقَبَwaqabIt penetrates / settles inPast verb — darkness entering
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Stage 3 of 5 · Discover It
🌱 The Root of This Verse
غ
—
س
—
ق
Darkness · Night · Gloom
Root غ-س-ق appears 3 times in the Quran
غَسَقَ
ghasaqa — to become darkVerb form
غَاسِق
ghāsiq — the darkness / the nightThis verse — active participle
غَسَق
ghasaq — deep darknessThe noun — used in 17:78
غَسَّاق
ghassāq — pus / oozing darknessUsed for punishment in hellfire
غَاسِق إِذَا وَقَبَ — darkness when it enters and settles. Al-Sa'di: night is specified because evil creatures, jinn, and harmful forces are most active in darkness.The Prophet would recite this surah every night before sleeping.
Source: تفسير السعدي · تفسير ابن كثير
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Stage 4 of 5 · Connect It
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Why Is Night Dangerous?
Ibn Kathir: at night, predators hunt, diseases spread, evil whispers intensify, and protection weakens. Darkness removes vision — the first line of defense.The surah acknowledges the real danger of night and gives its remedy.
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وَقَبَ — Penetrating Darkness
Al-Sa'di: وَقَبَ means to enter and fill — like darkness filling a room completely. Not just the absence of light — but darkness that actively settles in and creates vulnerability.
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The Moon Connection
The Prophet pointed to the moon and told Aisha: هَذَا الْغَاسِق إِذَا وَقَبَ — this is the ghāsiq when it waqaba. Ibn Kathir: the full moon marks the peak of night — the Quran connects cosmic cycles to human vulnerability.
غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ When darkness settles in — seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak.