Supplications to Avoid Evil Thought How r u? This is a great site with a lot of knowledge and with answers to questions that are rarely answered anywhere else. Ok, now here is my problem: I'd love to know if there is a du`a , Surah etc to recite when satan keeps pouring dumb and idiotic ideas in your head... I know " a`auzo bilAllah " and " la`hol " but I want to know another one too. Allah Hafiz Danish Siddiqui, Canada Reply Thank you for your encouraging remarks on our work on the web. May Allah guide us to the Truth and give us the courage to proclaim and follow it. Before I answer your specific question, I would like to clarify that the supplications of the Qur'an, as well as those taught by the Prophet (pbuh), are not merely words to be uttered but actually are true and sincere invocations of the heart, soul and mind of a Muslim. These supplications are likely to effective when they not only populate our tongues but also flow from a truly suppliant heart. This is an important and, under the prevalent circumstances, a necessary admonition regarding prayers and supplications. We, the Muslims, generally miss this point and consider the supplications mentioned in the Qur'an or taught by the Prophet (pbuh) to be some magical words, which entail some magical results. The reason for such a tendency is the fact that these supplications are in the Arabic language, which we, generally, do not understand. Thus, we acquire the tendency of repeatedly uttering the Arabic words and expecting miracles to happen, as a result. Nevertheless, such is not actually the case. To overcome this tendency, it is sometimes quite helpful to translate these supplications in one's own language and then pray to God in one's own language. For instance, rather than uttering the words: " Aa`oozobillah minashaitaanirrajeem ", one may plead to God with the words: 'I ask refuge of God from the rejected and the spurned satan', or 'O God, I ask you to give me refuge from all evil', or in any other similar words in one's own language. Such a practice is likely to keep the meaning and the implication of the words that we utter in such supplications alive in our minds and hearts. Keeping the above clarification in perspective, any words in your own language or in the Arabic language (if you know the Arabic language) may be used in our supplications. Besides those that you have mentioned, the last Surah of the Qur'an - Surah Al-Naas - also entails a similar supplication and may, therefore, be used ask God's refuge from all sources that provoke evil thought. Finally, I would like to add that a general adherence to God's remembrance with the hearts, minds, souls and tongues is also likely to serve as a great refuge for us from all evil. Moreover, a Muslim should also continually seek forgiveness of all his sins and mistakes (intentional or unintentional, known or unknown). Such an attitude brings us closer to God, on the one hand, and saves us from the attacks of evil, on the other. I hope this helps. Regards, The Learner