To what extent is the widespread image of a man sleeping in the open, surrounded by a circle, with a stick in the middle of the circle to determine direction, accurate, along with the claim that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did this, and that whoever spends the night in the open should draw a circle, recite Ayat al-Kursi and the Mu'awwidhat so that scorpions and snakes do not approach, and that this is a Sunnah our Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, performed?

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not transmit anything indicating that he used to draw lines or circles for protection, despite his frequent travels. He guided us to seek refuge with the perfect words of Allah upon entering a dwelling, for protection from evil. Reciting Ayatul-Kursi and the Mu'awwidhat (Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas) before sleeping protects one from Satan. As for drawing a circle, it is a minor form of shirk (definition) (polytheism) as it establishes a means of protection that has not been proven by religious texts or by empirical evidence. As for using a stick as a physical marker to determine direction, there is no harm in it if it is based on sound experience. The narration about drawing a circle for concealment when bathing is mursal (a narration in which the Companion who narrated from the Prophet is missing from the chain of transmission) and weak, and it is not for protection from crawling creatures. Such actions approach sorcery and charlatanism. Sufficiency with ruqyah (definition) (exorcism/healing through prayer) using the Mu'awwidhat is the prescribed way.