وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ 24
Translations
I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allāh, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,
Transliteration
Wa jaddattuha wa qawmaha yasjuduna lil-shamsi min duni Allah wa zayyyana lahumu ash-shaytanu a'malahum fa-saddahum 'anil-sabil fa-hum la yahtadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Sulayman reports finding the Queen of Sheba and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, with Satan having beautified their deeds in their eyes, causing them to be diverted from the path of guidance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah demonstrates how polytheism and idol worship stem from Satanic deception that makes forbidden acts appear attractive to disbelievers, while their hearts remain sealed from recognizing the truth of monotheism.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Surah An-Naml (The Ant), which recounts Prophet Sulayman's journey and his encounter with the Queen of Sheba. The context shows how sun worship was prevalent among the people of Sheba in ancient Arabia, illustrating the spiritual condition of pre-Islamic societies and the role of Satanic whispers in perpetuating shirk (polytheism).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah' (Sahih Bukhari). Also relevant is the hadith from Sahih Muslim about how Satan beautifies sins to humans: 'Satan makes sin seem fair to the son of Adam.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that following false deities or ideologies often results from Satan making evil appear attractive and righteous, emphasizing the importance of seeking knowledge, consulting the Quran and Sunnah, and guarding our hearts against Satanic whispers that justify deviation from Allah's path.
Related Ayahs
وَمَآ أَنتَ بِهَـٰدِى ٱلْعُمْىِ عَن ضَلَـٰلَتِهِمْ ۖ إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلَّا مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
And you cannot guide the blind away from their error. You will only make hear those who believe in Our verses so they are Muslims [i.e., submitting to Allāh].
مَن جَآءَ بِٱلْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُۥ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا وَهُم مِّن فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ ءَامِنُونَ
Whoever comes [at Judgement] with a good deed will have better than it, and they, from the terror of that Day, will be safe.
۞ فَمَا كَانَ جَوَابَ قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ أَخْرِجُوٓا۟ ءَالَ لُوطٍ مِّن قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ
But the answer of his people was not except that they said, "Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure."
قَالَتْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَفْتُونِى فِىٓ أَمْرِى مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ
She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."