Allah answers those who plead with Him and seek His protection. This surah and the one that follows it teach us how to seek God’s protection against all kinds of ill-feelings and evil intentions, which we constantly encounter in life. God says, “We try you with evil and good to test you” (al-Anbiya’: 35); and: “We have tried them [the Israelites] with adversity and prosperity, so that they might mend their ways” (al-Araf: 168).

Evil and harm may come from numerous sources: germs, insects, animals, and people. They may strike at