Topic: To Satan
View Aspects
ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
وَعَدَ اچھی اور بُری بات دونوں کے لئے آتا ہے۔ صرف فرق یہ ہے کہ اچھی بات کے لئے بغیر اظہار مفعول کے بھی آجاتا ہے اور بُری بات کے لئے اظہار مفعول ضروری ہے (اقرب) اس آیت میں دونوں معنوں میں استعمال ہوا ہے۔ اس لئے ایک جگہ ڈرانے اور دوسری جگہ وعدہ کرنے کے الفاظ ترجمہ میں استعمال کیے گئے ہیں۔
2:170; 24:22.
Faqara means, he bored a hole into a pearl; Faqura means, he became poor and needy and Faqira means, he had a complaint of his vertebrae. Thus Faqr means, poverty; want or need which breaks the back of the poor man; care or anxiety or disquietude of mind (Lane).
The verse removes the satanic misgiving that spending liberally in the cause of God may render one poor; on the contrary it emphatically declares that if wealthy people do not spend freely in good causes, the result would be national Faqr, i.e. the country would suffer economically and decline morally because, if the economic needs of the less fortunate members of the community are not adequately met, they are tempted to resort to Fahsha’ (foul and immoral means) to earn their livelihood.
See 2:170; 24:22.
Important Words:
فقر (poverty). The verb فقر (faqara) means, he dug into the ground; he bored a hole into a pearl, etc.; he cut into and penetrated a thing. فقر (faqura) means, he became poor and needy. فقر (faqira) means, he had a complaint of his vertebrae. الفقر signifies, poverty; want or need; care and anxiety or disquietude of mind. فقیر of which the plural is فقراء is one who is poor and needy; also one having a complaint of the vertebrae, arising from fracture or disease (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The most handy weapon for Satan is to suggest to the people that if they spend their wealth in charity, they will become poor. But this is a most foolish suggestion; for, if people obey Satan, the result will be فقر i.e. national interests will suffer and the country will definitely decline in prosperity; and if the country declines, individuals cannot remain unaffected. Again, if we do not help our less fortunate countrymen, they will be tempted to resort to فحشاء i.e. foul and unfair means, and the community will become degraded in the eyes of others.
Two pairs of words occur in this verse and their order deserves notice. According to their significance, فضل (bounty) corresponds to فقر (poverty) and مغفرة (forgiveness or the covering of shortcomings) corresponds to فحشاء (foul or infamous conduct). Now, following the above significance of the words, the word فضل ought to have preceded the word مغفرة. But this order has not been observed in the verse, the reason being that whereas the first result of accepting Satan’s suggestion, as mentioned in the present verse, is فقر and then comes فحشاء, the first and immediate consequence of one’s spending one’s wealth in charity is مغفرة and فضل comes afterwards.
Another reason for this order is that Satan cares more for wealth than good name; hence in his case فقر precedes فحشاء. But the righteous care more for God’s forgiveness than for worldly prosperity, hence in their case the precedence of the former to the latter.
Forgiveness from Allah as promised here, signifies that not only will men deal kindly and magnanimously with those who spend their wealth in charity, but God also will deal kindly with them. If a man helps the poor, people generally connive at his faults. Similarly, God will pardon his sins and forgive his shortcomings. Nay, He will do more. He will bestow grace and bounty on him, i.e. He will make him prosper and thrive as a result of his charity. The verse also hints that if, in spite of the evil suggestions of Satan, we spend our wealth for the good of humanity, not only shall we prosper individually but also rise as a nation.
Finally God is واسع (Bountiful), hence His bounty will have no limit. He is also علیم (All-Knowing), hence He will help righteous men in ways beyond their wildest imagination.
a
2:170; 24:22.
205
这节经文消除了恶魔的恫吓: 为安拉的事业慷慨花钱会使人贫穷; 相反, 它着重宣告, 如果有钱人不把钱慷慨地花在善事上, 结果会使国家 فَقْر (Faqr), 也就是说, 国家的经济将困难, 道德将衰落。因为社会上经济情况欠佳的成员的需要如果不能适当得到满足的话, 他们会被引诱去采取 فَحْشَاء (Fahsha’, 罪恶和不道德) 的手段来赚取他们的生活费用。
1
وَعَدَ اچھی اور بُری بات دونوں کے لئے آتا ہے۔ صرف فرق یہ ہے کہ اچھی بات کے لئے بغیر اظہار مفعول کے بھی آجاتا ہے اور بُری بات کے لئے اظہار مفعول ضروری ہے (اقرب) اس آیت میں دونوں معنوں میں استعمال ہوا ہے۔ اس لئے ایک جگہ ڈرانے اور دوسری جگہ وعدہ کرنے کے الفاظ ترجمہ میں استعمال کیے گئے ہیں۔
a
See 2:170; 24:22.
275
Important Words:
فقر (poverty). The verb فقر (faqara) means, he dug into the ground; he bored a hole into a pearl, etc.; he cut into and penetrated a thing. فقر (faqura) means, he became poor and needy. فقر (faqira) means, he had a complaint of his vertebrae. الفقر signifies, poverty; want or need; care and anxiety or disquietude of mind. فقیر of which the plural is فقراء is one who is poor and needy; also one having a complaint of the vertebrae, arising from fracture or disease (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The most handy weapon for Satan is to suggest to the people that if they spend their wealth in charity, they will become poor. But this is a most foolish suggestion; for, if people obey Satan, the result will be فقر i.e. national interests will suffer and the country will definitely decline in prosperity; and if the country declines, individuals cannot remain unaffected. Again, if we do not help our less fortunate countrymen, they will be tempted to resort to فحشاء i.e. foul and unfair means, and the community will become degraded in the eyes of others.
Two pairs of words occur in this verse and their order deserves notice. According to their significance, فضل (bounty) corresponds to فقر (poverty) and مغفرة (forgiveness or the covering of shortcomings) corresponds to فحشاء (foul or infamous conduct). Now, following the above significance of the words, the word فضل ought to have preceded the word مغفرة. But this order has not been observed in the verse, the reason being that whereas the first result of accepting Satan’s suggestion, as mentioned in the present verse, is فقر and then comes فحشاء, the first and immediate consequence of one’s spending one’s wealth in charity is مغفرة and فضل comes afterwards.
Another reason for this order is that Satan cares more for wealth than good name; hence in his case فقر precedes فحشاء. But the righteous care more for God’s forgiveness than for worldly prosperity, hence in their case the precedence of the former to the latter.
Forgiveness from Allah as promised here, signifies that not only will men deal kindly and magnanimously with those who spend their wealth in charity, but God also will deal kindly with them. If a man helps the poor, people generally connive at his faults. Similarly, God will pardon his sins and forgive his shortcomings. Nay, He will do more. He will bestow grace and bounty on him, i.e. He will make him prosper and thrive as a result of his charity. The verse also hints that if, in spite of the evil suggestions of Satan, we spend our wealth for the good of humanity, not only shall we prosper individually but also rise as a nation.
Finally God is واسع (Bountiful), hence His bounty will have no limit. He is also علیم (All-Knowing), hence He will help righteous men in ways beyond their wildest imagination.
a
2:170; 24:22.
338
Faqara means, he bored a hole into a pearl; Faqura means, he became poor and needy and Faqira means, he had a complaint of his vertebrae. Thus Faqr means, poverty; want or need which breaks the back of the poor man; care or anxiety or disquietude of mind (Lane).
339
The verse removes the satanic misgiving that spending liberally in the cause of God may render one poor; on the contrary it emphatically declares that if wealthy people do not spend freely in good causes, the result would be national Faqr, i.e. the country would suffer economically and decline morally because, if the economic needs of the less fortunate members of the community are not adequately met, they are tempted to resort to Fahsha’ (foul and immoral means) to earn their livelihood.
يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ ۖ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا
14:23; 17:75.
14:23; 17:75.
14:23; 17:65.
Important Words:
غرورا (vain things) is derived from غر. They say غرہ i.e. he deceived him; he beguiled him; he made him desire what was vain or false. غرور (ghurur) means, false or vain thing; vanity or what is false or vain; a deception; a thing by which one is deceived. غرور (gharur), (e.g. 31:34), with different vowel point, means, very deceitful, or what deceives one, the Devil; also the present world (Lane).
Commentary:
The promises made by Satan and the desires raised by him in the hearts of his votaries, as against the works and decrees of God, never materialize.
d
14:23; 17:75.
a
14:23; 17:65.
587
Important Words:
غرورا (vain things) is derived from غر. They say غرہ i.e. he deceived him; he beguiled him; he made him desire what was vain or false. غرور (ghurur) means, false or vain thing; vanity or what is false or vain; a deception; a thing by which one is deceived. غرور (gharur), (e.g. 31:34), with different vowel point, means, very deceitful, or what deceives one, the Devil; also the present world (Lane).
Commentary:
The promises made by Satan and the desires raised by him in the hearts of his votaries, as against the works and decrees of God, never materialize.
a
14:23; 17:75.
وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِى ۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِى وَلُومُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُم ۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِىَّ ۖ إِنِّى كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.
Important Words:
مصرخکم (succour you) and مصرخی (succour me) are both derived from صرخ which means, he called or called out; or he cried or he cried out vehemently; he called or cried for aid or succour or, transitively, he succoured or aided someone. اصرخ also means, he succoured or aided; he came to the help of. مصرخ means, aiding or succouring; or an aider or succourer (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
By uttering the words, I cannot succour you, Satan disclaims the possession of any power to lead man astray. It is indeed true that Satan has no power over man. He is only an instrument for the manifestation of man’s weaknesses, just as angels are instruments for the manifestation of his good qualities. In reality man is led astray by his own baser self, for, as the verse puts it, Satan only calls and it is man who obeys. The function of Satan is merely to make evil suggestions, just as the function of angels is to make good suggestions. Angels cannot make a man good, nor can Satan make him bad. They only show the way, good or bad, and man does the rest.
It may appear paradoxical on Satan’s part to claim, as he has done in this verse, that he asserted the Unity of God and disclaimed association with Him. In a sense it is true, because he who is conscious of God’s glory and has actually witnessed it cannot be guilty of shirk (setting up equals to God). Shirk comes into being when man accepts Satan’s evil suggestions and disobeys God. Satan may thus be likened to arsenic. So long as arsenic does not enter the system of man in toxic quantity, it is a valuable drug, but when man makes a wrong use of it, it becomes a deadly poison. Similarly, before Satan enters the spiritual system of man he is but a test-question and nothing more. Indeed, Satan is only an agent deputed to expose human weaknesses and frailties.
But here arises a question. If Satan has no power over man, why will he be punished with Hellfire? This question is answered in 7:13, where Satan is represented as having been created of fire. How can a thing which is created of fire be said to be punished when cast into fire? A burning piece of coal is not tormented when thrown into a furnace. This is why perhaps some of the mystics in Islam have held the view that it is not Satan, but his manifestations and vicegerents that will be punished. Satan, they say, is but an agent meant to try the mettle of man and only performs his functions.
f
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.
a
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.
1677
Important Words:
مصرخکم (succour you) and مصرخی (succour me) are both derived from صرخ which means, he called or called out; or he cried or he cried out vehemently; he called or cried for aid or succour or, transitively, he succoured or aided someone. اصرخ also means, he succoured or aided; he came to the help of. مصرخ means, aiding or succouring; or an aider or succourer (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
By uttering the words, I cannot succour you, Satan disclaims the possession of any power to lead man astray. It is indeed true that Satan has no power over man. He is only an instrument for the manifestation of man’s weaknesses, just as angels are instruments for the manifestation of his good qualities. In reality man is led astray by his own baser self, for, as the verse puts it, Satan only calls and it is man who obeys. The function of Satan is merely to make evil suggestions, just as the function of angels is to make good suggestions. Angels cannot make a man good, nor can Satan make him bad. They only show the way, good or bad, and man does the rest.
It may appear paradoxical on Satan’s part to claim, as he has done in this verse, that he asserted the Unity of God and disclaimed association with Him. In a sense it is true, because he who is conscious of God’s glory and has actually witnessed it cannot be guilty of shirk (setting up equals to God). Shirk comes into being when man accepts Satan’s evil suggestions and disobeys God. Satan may thus be likened to arsenic. So long as arsenic does not enter the system of man in toxic quantity, it is a valuable drug, but when man makes a wrong use of it, it becomes a deadly poison. Similarly, before Satan enters the spiritual system of man he is but a test-question and nothing more. Indeed, Satan is only an agent deputed to expose human weaknesses and frailties.
But here arises a question. If Satan has no power over man, why will he be punished with Hellfire? This question is answered in 7:13, where Satan is represented as having been created of fire. How can a thing which is created of fire be said to be punished when cast into fire? A burning piece of coal is not tormented when thrown into a furnace. This is why perhaps some of the mystics in Islam have held the view that it is not Satan, but his manifestations and vicegerents that will be punished. Satan, they say, is but an agent meant to try the mettle of man and only performs his functions.
a
15:43; 16:100; 17:66.