لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱسْتَمْسَكَ بِٱلْعُرْوَةِ ٱلْوُثْقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (٢٥٦)
La ikraha fee alddeeni qad tabayyana alrrushdu mina alghayyi faman yakfur bialttaghooti wayu min biAllahi faqadi istamsaka bialAAurwati alwuthqa la infisama laha waAllahu sameeAAun AAaleemun
Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٢٥٧)
Allahu waliyyu allatheena amanoo yukhrijuhum mina alththulumati ila alnnoori waallatheena kafaroo awliyaohumu alttaghootu yukhrijoonahum mina alnnoori ila alththulumati ola-ika as-habu alnnari hum feeha khalidoona
Allah is the Guardian of the believers—He brings them out of darkness and into light. As for the disbelievers, their guardians are false gods who lead them out of light and into darkness. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever.
We humans always seek safety and to be spared from the evil things that surround us. These verses in Al-Baqarah are the perfect dua for people who are searching for a sense of security, or who are currently seeking calmness and feel paranoid. The two verses of Al Baqarah are known to be beneficial in protecting those who recite them from shaytan, black magic, evil, and other harmful things.
These verses used to be recited by Prophet Muhammad SAW, as they are two out of the fifty three verses that could exorcise the devils and jinns, and prevent us Muslims from getting targeted by harmful things such as black magic, witchcraft, sihr, and other related evil doings. The two verses would be much more complete in repelling evil doings when recited with other verses in Al-Baqarah, which are the first four verses, the ayatul kursi, and the last three verses (Ibn Majah: 3549).
The ones who recited the verses and their families will also be protected against the evildoings and whispers of the shaytan. These two verses, along with the previously mentioned ayat in Al-Baqarah, will help repel the shaytan for the night as they will prevent the shaytan from entering the house and surround them with dua (Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud RA). If recited over a senile person, it would also wake them up - giving them awareness, physical and mental abilities, and the previously lost memories.
While these verses could protect us from harmful things and wrongdoings in evil matters, it is still recommended for Muslims to recite the whole Quran as each part carries out multiple benefits and positive effects. May reciting these verses and the Quran protect us and help us become better Muslims. Amin.
