Respectful Engagement with Disbelievers and the Role of Shayatin in Deception

Al-An'am — Verses 108–117 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ١٠٨

And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings; then to their Lord is their return and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do.

وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ
And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah,
فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ
lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge.
كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ
Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings;
ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ
then to their Lord is their return
فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do.

وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَئِن جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ لَّيُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهَا ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْآيَاتُ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءَتْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ١٠٩

And they swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that if there came to them a sign, they would surely believe therein. Say: "Signs are but with Allah and what will make you (Muslims) perceive that (even) if it (the sign) came, they will not believe?"

وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ
And they swear their strongest oaths by Allah,
لَئِن جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ
that if there came to them a sign,
لَّيُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهَا ۚ
they would surely believe therein.
قُلْ
Say:
إِنَّمَا الْآيَاتُ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۖ
"Signs are but with Allah
وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَا إِذَا جَاءَتْ
and what will make you (Muslims) perceive that (even) if it (the sign) came,
لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
they will not believe?

وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ١١٠

And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their trespass to wander blindly.

وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ
And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance)
كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ
as they refused to believe therein for the first time
وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
and We shall leave them in their trespass to wander blindly

۞ وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ ١١١

And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly.

۞ وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ
And even if We had sent down unto them angels,
وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ
and the dead had spoken unto them,
وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا
and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes,
مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ
they would not have believed, unless Allah willed,
وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ
but most of them behave ignorantly.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ ١١٢

And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it, so leave them alone with their fabrications. (Tafseer Qurtubi, Vol. 7, Page 67)

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا
And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies
شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ
Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinns
يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ
inspiring one another
زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ
with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception)
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ
If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it
فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
so leave them alone with their fabrications

وَلِتَصْغَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَ ١١٣

(And this is in order) that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter may incline to such (deceit), and that they may remain pleased with it, and that they may commit what they are committing (all kinds of sins and evil deeds, etc.).

وَلِتَصْغَىٰ إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ
that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter may incline to such (deceit)
وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ
and that they may remain pleased with it
وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَ
and that they may commit what they are committing (all kinds of sins and evil deeds, etc.)

أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًا ۚ وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ١١٤

[Say (O Muhammad SAW)] "Shall I seek a judge other than Allah while it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (The Quran), explained in detail." Those unto whom We gave the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] know that it is revealed from your Lord in truth. So be not you of those who doubt.

أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا
Shall I seek a judge other than Allah
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلًا ۚ
while it is He Who has sent down unto you the Book (The Quran), explained in detail.
وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ
Those unto whom We gave the Scripture
يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ
know that it is revealed from your Lord in truth.
فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ
So be not you of those who doubt.

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا ۚ لَّا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ١١٥

And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ
And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled
صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا ۚ
in truth and in justice.
لَّا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ ۚ
None can change His Words.
وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ ١١٦

And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's Path. They follow nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie.

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ
And if you obey most of those on earth,
يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ
they will mislead you far away from Allah's Path.
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ
They follow nothing but conjectures,
وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
and they do nothing but lie.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ مَن يَضِلُّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ١١٧

Verily, your Lord! It is He Who knows best who strays from His Way, and He knows best the rightly guided ones.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ
Verily, your Lord!
هُوَ أَعْلَمُ
It is He Who knows best
مَن يَضِلُّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۖ
who strays from His Way,
وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
and He knows best the rightly guided ones.