Quran Universe
16:98

فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ

Faitha qarata alqurana faistaAAith biAllahi mina alshshaytani alrrajeemi

So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].

Word by word
  1. فَإِذَاSo when
  2. قَرَأۡتَyou recite
  3. ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَthe Quran
  4. فَٱسۡتَعِذۡseek refuge
  5. بِٱللَّهِin Allah
  6. مِنَfrom
  7. ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِthe Shaitaan
  8. ٱلرَّجِيمِthe accursed
An-Nahl · 16:98Makkah

Before you recite the Quran, seek refuge from Shaytan.

Guarding the mind before reading

Before reading
you open the Quranready to read
first say
a'udhu billahrefuge from Shaytan
so
a clear mindable to reflect
Why seek refuge
just a ritual phrasesaid by habit
protection for focusso he can't confuse you

Ibn Kathir says this is a command for those about to read the Quran. The reason is that the reader should not get confused, and that Shaytan would not stop him from thinking about and pondering the meaning of what he reads.

You sit down to read the Quran and suddenly remember an email, a message, a snack. Five minutes later you're on your phone. The distraction is not random. Seeking refuge is asking for focus.

Saying a'udhu billah is just a formality.

Seeking refuge before reading protects my focus from Shaytan.

Try this

Next time you read Quran, say a'udhu billah slowly and mean it, then put your phone in another room.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

So when you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan, the outcast (98)Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (99)His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Shaytan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah)(100)

The Command to seek Refuge with Allah before reciting the Qur'an

This is a command from Allah to His servants upon the tongue of His Prophet ﷺ, telling them that when they want to read Qur'an, they should seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan. The Hadiths mentioned about seeking refuge with Allah (Isti'adhah), were quoted in our discussion at the beginning of this Tafsir, praise be to Allah. The reason for seeking refuge with Allah before reading is that the reader should not get confused or mixed up, and that the Shaytan would not confuse him or stop him from thinking about and pondering over the meaning of what he reads. Hence the majority of scholars said that refuge should be sought with Allah before starting to read.

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

(Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord.) Ath-Thawri said: "He has no power to make them commit a sin they will not repent from." Others said: it means that he has no argument for them. Others said it is like the Ayah:

إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ

(Except Your chosen servants amongst them.)[15:40]

إِنَّمَا سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ

(His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Shaytan),) Mujahid said: "Those who obey him." Others said, "Those who take him as their protector instead of Allah."

وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ

(and those who join partners with Him.) means, those who associate others in worship with Allah.