وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِى ۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِى وَلُومُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُم ۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِىَّ ۖ إِنِّى كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ 22
Translations
And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, "Indeed, Allāh had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allāh] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment."
Transliteration
Wa qala ash-shaytanu lamma qudiya al-amru inna Allaha wa'adakum wa'da al-haqqi wa wa'adtukum fa akhlaftukum wa ma kana li alaikum min sultanin illa an da'awtukum faistajabtum li fa la talumuni wa lumū anfusakum ma ana bi musrikhi-kum wa ma antum bi musrikhi-ya inni kafartu bi ma ashraktumūn min qablu inna adh-dhalimīna lahum adhab alim
Tafsir (Explanation)
On the Day of Judgment, when the final decree has been executed, Satan disavows his followers by admitting that Allah's promise of Paradise for the believers was true while his promise of worldly success was false. Satan claims he had no real authority over them except through their own acceptance of his call, and he refuses to help them while blaming them for their choices. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah illustrates Satan's ultimate confession and the complete removal of his excuses, demonstrating that human free will and personal choice were always the decisive factors in accepting or rejecting his temptations.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ibrahim, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes monotheism and the consequences of disbelief. The broader context (14:15-22) depicts the Day of Judgment and the separation of the blessed from the damned, illustrating the final accountability of all beings. This specific statement by Satan occurs after the judgment has been rendered, serving as a powerful reminder to the Meccan audience that Satan's influence is ultimately powerless against those who sincerely obey Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Devil said: By Your Might, O Lord, I will keep misleading Your servants as long as their souls are in their bodies.' Allah said: 'Then by My Might, I will keep forgiving them as long as they ask My forgiveness.' (Sunan Ibn Majah, with various versions in hadith collections). This hadith complements the ayah by showing the ongoing nature of temptation and the availability of repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Satan has no actual power over us except what we voluntarily grant him through our choices; therefore, we bear full responsibility for our actions and cannot blame external forces for our moral failures. The modern reader should recognize that temptation is inevitable, but succumbing to it always involves personal consent, making repentance and mindfulness of Allah our most powerful defenses.