إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَٱتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا ۚ إِنَّمَا يَدْعُوا۟ حِزْبَهُۥ لِيَكُونُوا۟ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ 6
Translations
Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.
Transliteration
Inna al-shaytana lakum aduwwun fa-ittakhidhuhu aduwwan. Innama yad'u hizbahu liyakunu min ashabi al-sa'ir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explicitly declares Satan as an enemy to mankind and commands believers to treat him as such, rather than following his whispers and deceptions. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that Satan's sole objective is to lead his followers into Hell (al-sa'ir), making him an adversary whose enmity is absolute and irreconcilable. The ayah emphasizes that Satan's invitation is not toward worldly pleasures but ultimately toward punishment in the Fire, exposing the futility of heeding his calls.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during the early period of Islamic preaching, this ayah is part of Surah Fatir's broader theme of monotheism and warning against shirk and deviation. It appears in a context discussing Allah's creation and the contrast between the righteous and the misguided, reinforcing the spiritual struggle (jihad) against Satan as fundamental to faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Satan flows through the son of Adam like blood flows through veins' (Sahih Bukhari 3175, Sahih Muslim 2175). Also relevant: 'The strongest among you in strength is the one who controls his anger when provoked' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2013), emphasizing resistance to Satanic whispers.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must recognize Satan as an implacable enemy whose ultimate goal is their destruction, not their benefit, and therefore consciously reject his whisperings through God-consciousness and adherence to Islamic guidance. This ayah calls for active spiritual vigilance rather than passive assumption of safety.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا ۚ وَإِن مِّنْ أُمَّةٍ إِلَّا خَلَا فِيهَا نَذِيرٌ
Indeed, We have sent you with the truth as a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And there was no nation but that there had passed within it a warner.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ ۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْغَرُورُ
O mankind, indeed the promise of Allāh is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allāh by the Deceiver [i.e., Satan].
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَهُمْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقْضَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا۟ وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُم مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى كُلَّ كَفُورٍ
And for those who disbelieve will be the fire of Hell. [Death] is not decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one.
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْبَحْرَانِ هَـٰذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ سَآئِغٌ شَرَابُهُۥ وَهَـٰذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ ۖ وَمِن كُلٍّ تَأْكُلُونَ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُونَ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا ۖ وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ فِيهِ مَوَاخِرَ لِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
And not alike are the two seas [i.e., bodies of water]. One is fresh and sweet, palatable for drinking, and one is salty and bitter. And from each you eat tender meat and extract ornaments which you wear, and you see the ships plowing through [them] that you might seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.