Question on Surah Nas

[azim]

One for the arab speakers inshallah.

In Surah Nas, line 4 it says: -

مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ

Min = from

Shari = Mischeif

Al Was-wa-si = The Whisperer

Al-khanas = Who Withdraws

I'm stuck on the last word. الْ is the definitive article, so why is it 'who withdraws'

Shouldn't it (literally translated) mean = The whisper - The withdrawer

Can someone help inshallah?

Jazakallah.

[Mawaddah]

It's because "al-waswaas" and "al-khannaas" are both Sifaat (attributes) to the Shaytaan who is the person whom the attributes are are attributed to. However he (the Shaytaan) isn't mentioned in the verse.

So the "al" is added on there since the Shaytaan is a Ma'lum (known) thing/object/erm.......whatever you might call him lol

Hope you understand

[Mawaddah]

Oh Oh, and let me add. If you were to translate it word for word it would be "From the evil of the whisperer, the withdrawer"....... (actually that's what it really is) And in the actual arabic verse the actual "thing" (shaytaan) is not mentioned, since, like I mentioned above, he is known. However....it's just because of the english translation that you get all mixed up like this :)

Wasalamu'alaikum