لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولًا 29
Translations
He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter."
Transliteration
Laqad aḍallannī ʿanil-dhikri baʿda idh jāʾanī, wa kāna ash-shayṭānu lil-insāni khadhūlā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts a scene from the Day of Judgment where a person blames their companion (often interpreted as Satan or a misguiding friend) for leading them astray from the Qur'an and divine remembrance after it had come to them. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that this represents the regret of the misled on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing that Satan is ultimately an unreliable betrayer (khadhūl) who abandons those who follow him when they need him most. The ayah underscores human accountability—while Satan plays a role in misguidance, the primary responsibility rests with the individual for abandoning the divine message.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Furqan is a Meccan surah that addresses the rejection of the Qur'an by the Meccan polytheists. This particular ayah appears in a sequence describing scenes of the Day of Judgment and the dialogue between the misled and their seducers, illustrating the consequences of turning away from divine guidance. The surah's theme centers on the Qur'an as the criterion (furqan) between truth and falsehood.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: 'Satan sits on every path of the son of Adam. He sits on the path of Islam and says, "Will you become Muslim? That is disgrace." He sits on the path of kinship and says, "Will you cut it off?" He sits on the path of wealth and says, "What if you become poor?"' (Sunan Ibn Mājah). This hadith complements the ayah by illustrating Satan's role as a constant tempter and deceiver.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that while external influences and temptations exist, individuals bear ultimate responsibility for their choices regarding faith and guidance; one must hold fast to the Qur'an and divine remembrance as the true safeguard against misguidance, for those who lead others astray will themselves be abandoned in their greatest hour of need.