مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِفَـٰتِنِينَ 162
Translations
You cannot tempt [anyone] away from Him
Transliteration
Mā antum ʿalayhi bi-fātininīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of Iblis's (Satan's) response to Allah, where he claims that the believers are not being led astray by him, but rather they are following their own desires and inclinations. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement by Iblis actually serves as a reminder that Allah's sincere servants cannot be seduced into disbelief—only those who have already inclined toward evil will follow him. The ayah emphasizes human responsibility and free will, as Iblis acknowledges he has no power over the truly faithful.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the broader context of Surah As-Saffat (a Meccan surah) which deals with the ranks of angels and the refutation of polytheism. The specific passage (37:160-166) contains Iblis's claim about his inability to lead the sincere believers astray, occurring after the discussion of the Day of Judgment and the certainty of Divine punishment.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Verily, Satan has despaired that he will ever be worshipped in this land [Arabia], but he is satisfied that you quarrel amongst yourselves.' This hadith reinforces that Satan's actual power is limited to tempting through worldly desires rather than forcing disbelief.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that while Satan may tempt us, he has no actual power over those who sincerely seek Allah's guidance—our vulnerability to his schemes depends on our own desires and choices. It should inspire us to strengthen our faith and resist temptation through conscious effort and reliance upon Allah.