كَمَثَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ ٱكْفُرْ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ قَالَ إِنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنكَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 16
Translations
[The hypocrites are] like the example of Satan when he says to man, "Disbelieve." But when he disbelieves, he says, "Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allāh, Lord of the worlds."
Transliteration
Kamathali ash-shaytani idh qala lil-insani akfur falamma kafara qala inni bari'un minka inni akhaafu Allah rabb al-alameen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the example of Satan's deception of humans: he commands them to disbelieve, and when they comply, he disavows them, claiming to fear Allah. Ibn Kathir explains this as illustrating Satan's ultimate betrayal and cowardice—he leads people to destruction but abandons them on the Day of Judgment. Al-Qurtubi notes this demonstrates the falsehood and hypocrisy of Satan, who himself fears Allah while encouraging others toward sin.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Hashr (59), a Medinan surah. It appears in the context of warning believers against being deceived by those who reject faith. The broader passage (59:14-17) compares those who reject faith to Satan's followers, emphasizing how Satan and his allies ultimately fail and abandon their followers. This was revealed to strengthen the resolve of Muslims facing disbelief and hypocrisy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Shaytaan despairs of being worshipped in the lands of the Arabs, but he will busy them with animosity and worldly affairs' (Sahih Muslim 2812). Also relevant: 'Verily, Satan has lost all hope of being worshipped in this land of yours' (At-Tirmidhi), emphasizing Satan's tactics shift when direct worship is impossible.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers that those who lead others to sin—whether Satan or his human agents—ultimately abandon their followers and seek only to save themselves. A modern reader should recognize that true guidance comes only from Allah and His Messenger, and that alliances built on falsehood and disobedience inevitably collapse.
Related Ayahs
لَا يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمْ جَمِيعًا إِلَّا فِى قُرًى مُّحَصَّنَةٍ أَوْ مِن وَرَآءِ جُدُرٍۭ ۚ بَأْسُهُم بَيْنَهُمْ شَدِيدٌ ۚ تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَعْقِلُونَ
They will not fight you all except within fortified cities or from behind walls. Their violence [i.e., enmity] among themselves is severe. You think they are together, but their hearts are diverse. That is because they are a people who do not reason.
لَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ رَهْبَةً فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ
You [believers] are more fearful within their breasts than Allāh. That is because they are a people who do not understand.
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقُ ٱلْبَارِئُ ٱلْمُصَوِّرُ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
He is Allāh, the Creator, the Producer, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
مَا قَطَعْتُم مِّن لِّينَةٍ أَوْ تَرَكْتُمُوهَا قَآئِمَةً عَلَىٰٓ أُصُولِهَا فَبِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيُخْزِىَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
Whatever you have cut down of [their] palm trees or left standing on their trunks - it was by permission of Allāh and so He would disgrace the defiantly disobedient.