The Istiaada (الاستعاذة) is the title of the first chapter of the Shatibiyyah. The Istiaada is seeking refuge with Allah, from Shaytan. This chapter comes first due to the fact that the recitation always begins with the Istiaada.

Imam As-Shatibi says:

إذا ما أردت الدّهر تقرأ فاستعذ

جهارا من الشّيطان بالله مسجلا

Whenever you recite the Quran then ask out loud Allah for refuge from the Shaytan.

The Iman is telling the reader that whenever someone starts reading the Quran he should seek from the Shaytan. Then the Imam adds:

على ما أتى في النّحل يسرا وإن تزد

لربّك تنزيها فلست مجهّلا

In the same manner described in Al-Nahl, it is simple; And if you wish to add on to it with extra praise to your lord then you aren’t mistaken either.

What is meant by this is very simple. The Imam is telling us to say the Istiaada the same manner described in Surah Nahl, Verse 98 where Allah tells us: “So when you want to recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan, the cursed one.”

Thus, seeking refuge with Allah from the Shaytan is done through the simple manner of:

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

However, the Imam tells us that there is no harm in add on to the Istiaada with extra praise for Allah (Most exalted and high in might). Of the most famous ways to do this is:

أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم or أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم من همزه ونفخه ونفثه

Then the Imam continues:

وقد ذكروا لفظ الرّسول فلم يزد

ولو صحّ هذا النّقل لم يبق مجملا

And some claimed that the Prophet never added on any praise for Allah, and there is simply no basis for this claim.

Some skeptics claimed that the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) never read in the different forms and simply only read the first version that we all know. The claims were brought in front of Imam As-Shatibi and he refuted them by showing that the evidence used by the skeptics was Dai’f (weak) and there was authentic evidence to show that the blessed Prophet did in fact use all the form of the Istiaada.

Then the Imam continues:

وفيه مقال في الأصول فروعه

فلا تعد منها باسقا ومظلّلا

And there exists a long dispute about it in the Usool (Quranic studies), but don’t stress yourself about it too much.

The Imam is keeping the chapter simple for the student to understand by saying that one should not stress himself too much with these different forms of the Istiaada and that there is a long argument between the scholars over whether or not reading the Istiaada is wajib (obligatory) or mustahhab (highly encouraged). According to the majority of the scholars, it is mustahhab to say the Istiaada because of the benefits that come from it.

Then the Imam concludes:

وإخفاؤه فصل أباه وعاتنا

وكم من فتى كالمهدوي فيه أعملا

And silencing the Istiaada was attributed to Nafi’ and Hamzah by those who followed the teachings of the youngster Al-Mahdawi.

The Imam mentioned that some people claimed that Nafi’ and Hamzah silenced the Istiaada. They were done by a group of recitors who followed the teachings of Al-Mahdawi, he was a young and coming recitor of the Quran who claimed that Nafi’ and Hamzah silenced the Istiaada.

However, the scholars of Quran are certain that Nafi’ and Hamza never did this and that Al-Mahdawi was in the wrong.

And this is where باب الاستعاذة ends. In this chapter we learned that it is mustahhab to read the Istiaada outloud for all 7 recitors. We also saw the 3 different forms of the Istiaada and said that they were all valid forms of saying the Istiaada. We concluded by dealing with the mistaken teachings of Al-Mahdawi.

And Allah knows best.