It was narrated that when the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) entered the mosque, he would say: “I seek refuge in Allah, the Magnificent, in His Noble Face, and in His Ancient Authority, from the accursed Satan.” He said, “Is that all?” I replied, “Yes.” He said, “When one says this, Satan says: ‘He is protected from me for the rest of the day.’”

Narrated by Abū Dāwūd (no. 466) and Al-Bayhaqī in Al-Da‘awāt al-Kabīr (no. 68), from the narration of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr -may Allah be pleased with them-.
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi‘(no. 4715) and Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ (no. 749).

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

This blessed ḥadīth illustrates the guidance of the Prophet -may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him- when entering the mosque, a place of worship, obedience, and the locus of tranquility and serenity. His practice -may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him- was to seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaitan.
Seeking refuge in Allah means taking shelter in Him and turning to Him for protection, exalting His supreme status, acknowledging His perfect attributes, and placing trust in His noble and generous essence.
And he seeks refuge in the Authority of Allah -may He be exalted-, for “Authority” is one of His attributes, signifying His dominion, greatness, power, and supremacy. As for describing it as “the Ancient,” it refers to His eternal and everlasting nature, without beginning or end.
In summary, the Prophet -may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him- prescribed this supplication for his nation: to glorify Allah and His attributes, to seek refuge in Him, and to ask for protection from the evil of Satan, his plots, and whispers, whose harm can only be averted by Allah’s help and safeguarding.
Then the narrator asked the one who reported the ḥadīth to him, "Is that all?" (in Arabic: aqat?) — meaning, “Did he only say that and add nothing else? Or is this all that reached you?” He was answered in the affirmative that nothing more was added.
The Prophet -may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him- then explained the virtue of this supplication: whoever says it with sincerity and certainty will be under Allah’s care and protection, safeguarded from Satan for the rest of the day. This may also extend to the night, or “day” may be understood as encompassing all time.
In this ḥadīth: a comprehensive supplication for refuge is contained, encompassing three great attributes of Allah — His Majesty, His Noble Face, and His Eternal Sovereignty.
It indicates that the servant is in absolute need of his Lord to safeguard his faith and heart from the whispers and plots of Satan.

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