Provided are: a composition that makes it possible to form a surface layer that has excellent abrasion resistance and suppressed particle generation; and an article that has a surface layer that is formed using the composition. This composition includes a fluorine-containing ether compound and an iron-containing compound. The fluorine-containing ether compound has: a hydrolyzable group that is bonded to a silicon atom and/or a hydroxyl group that is bonded to a silicon atom; and a poly(oxyperfluoroalkylene) chain. The iron content of the iron-containing compound is 15–1,500 ppm relative to the fluorine-containing ether compound.