Surah Al-Falaq / Verse 4

After mentioning harmful creatures and dangers associated with night, the surah now refers to people who practise sorcery: “those who blow upon knots.” The expression points to a known form of magical practice in which knots were tied in thread or cord and blown upon while spells were recited.

The Arabic naffathat comes from nafth: a light blowing, distinct from ordinary blowing or spitting. 'Uqad is the plural of 'uqdah, “knot”. The verse is not condemning the ordinary acts of tying knots or breathing upon something. It refers to an act associated with casting spells and wishing harm upon others.

naffathat is grammatically a feminine plural. Many commentators have therefore connected it to women who engaged in this practice. This does not amount to a condemnation of women as a group. The danger at issue is a harmful practice and an intention to injure others, neither of which is limited to one gender.

Several questions must also be kept distinct. The Quran refers here to sorcery and its harm, but this brief expression does not explain its mechanism or establish how effective any particular practice might be. Commentators have differed on the nature and limits of the effects attributed to magic. We should neither use this verse to dismiss every report about sorcery without consideration nor assume that every illness, setback or misfortune has been caused by it.

Seeking refuge means turning to God in the face of malicious intentions and dangers whose causes may be obvious or concealed. At the same time, we must use reason, sound judgement and legitimate means of protection. Accusing someone of sorcery without reliable evidence may itself cause grave harm and injustice.

The previous verse described darkness, a setting in which some dangers remain concealed. This one addresses another harm whose source or workings may be difficult to identify. The final verse turns to an intention that begins within human beings: envy.