۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ 21
Translations
O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing. And if not for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have been pure, ever, but Allāh purifies whom He wills, and Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu la tattabi'u khutwat al-shaytani wa man yattabi' khutwat al-shaytani fa-innahu ya'muru bi-al-fahsha'i wa-al-munkari wa-lawla fadl Allah alaikum wa rahmatuhu ma zaka minkum min ahadin abadan wa-lakin Allah yuzakki man yasha'u wa-Allah Samee'un Aleem
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses believers, commanding them to avoid following the Devil's footsteps, which lead to indecency and wickedness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Satan's influence is gradual—he leads people step by step toward sin, which is why the Qur'an uses the metaphor of 'footsteps' (khutwat). The ayah concludes by emphasizing that spiritual purification (tazkiyyah) is ultimately Allah's grace and mercy; without His favor, no one could achieve righteousness, yet He purifies whomever He wills.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nur (revealed in Madinah), which addresses moral conduct and social ethics in the Muslim community. The broader context of verses 20-21 discusses avoiding those who command indecency and wrongdoing, reflecting the Qur'an's emphasis on guarding against moral corruption and the Devil's influence on human society.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Devil flows through the son of Adam like blood flows through veins; therefore guard yourselves against his evil by invoking Allah's protection' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized that 'Every son of Adam sins, and the best of sinners are those who repent' (Sunan Ibn Majah), highlighting the balance between guarding against Satan and relying on Allah's mercy.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must be vigilant against Satan's subtle influence, which operates through small, incremental steps rather than obvious temptations, and should remember that ultimate spiritual purification is a gift from Allah requiring both effort and reliance on His mercy. This teaches both accountability for our choices and humility in recognizing that our spiritual success depends fundamentally on Allah's guidance and grace.