The final two sūras of the Quran are described by some as prayers for protection, but they are not in fact prayers. The Quran begins with a prayer: al-Fātiḥa (“The Opening”) is addressed to Allah and uses the language of praise and worship. These “closing” sūras do not address Allah and are both presented as text that the messenger is commanded to “say.” These sūras also use the language of seeking refuge, which may take them in the direction of incantation and charm.

113.1 – I take refuge with the Lord of the daybreak

The reciter is commanded to “say” that he seeks refuge from four kinds of evil. Elsewhere, the Quran says, “When you recite the Qur’ān, take refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan” (16.98; cf. 42.62). The reason for taking refuge is not clear. The following verse in Sūra 16 says that Satan “has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord” (16.99).