Tafseer of Abraham · Ibrahim · 14:22
And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, "Indeed, Allah 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 Allah] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: and Iblīs said (13) — لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ (when the matter was decided) — that is to say: after the inhabitants of Paradise (janna) have been led in and the inhabitants of the Fire have entered the Fire, and each party has reached its appointed abode (14) — "Allah promised you the punishment, and His promise was true, while I promised you victory and did not fulfill my promise. وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ (and I had no authority over you) — that is to say: I had, with respect to my promise of aid to you, no proof that held up for me to substantiate the truthfulness of my word. (15) إِلَّا أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ — this is a disjunctive exception with respect to what precedes, as when one says: 'I did not strike him except for his foolishness', the meaning of which is: but دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي (I called you and you answered me) — He says: I called you to obedience to me and disobedience to Allah, and you answered my call. (16) فَلَا تَلُومُونِي (then do not blame me) on account of your answering me; وَلُومُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ (blame yourselves) for that. مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ (I cannot come to your aid) — that is to say: I cannot save you; وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ (nor can you come to my aid) — nor can you save me from the punishment of Allah and bring me to safety. إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ (indeed, I reject that which you formerly ascribed to me as partnership (shirk)) — that is to say: I reject that I should be a partner of Allah in the worship that you rendered to me; مِن قَبْلُ: in the worldly life. إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (truly, the wrongdoers shall have a painful punishment) — that is to say: the unbelievers (kāfirūn) in Allah shall have a "painful" punishment from Allah, a tormenting torment. (17)
It is said: "aṣrakha al-rajula" when one comes to his aid, "iṣrākhan"; and "qad ṣarakha al-ṣārikhu, yaṣrukhu, wa-yaṣrakhu" — the latter form being rare — "wa-huwa al-ṣarīkhu wa-l-ṣurākhu". (18)
In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes also spoke.
Those who said that:
20641 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Dāwūd related to us, on the authority of ʿĀmir, concerning this verse: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ: he said: on the Day of Resurrection two orators arise: Iblīs and ʿĪsā ibn Maryam. As for Iblīs: he arises among his ranks and speaks these words. As for ʿĪsā, peace be upon him: he says: مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ [Al-Māʾida: 117].
20642 — Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, who said: on the Day of Resurrection two orators arise: one is ʿĪsā and the other is Iblīs. As for Iblīs: he arises among his ranks and speaks: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ — Dāwūd recited until he reached: بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِي مِن قَبْلُ; I do not know whether he recited the verse in full or not. As for ʿĪsā, peace be upon him: it was said to him: أَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ — he recited until he reached: فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ [Al-Māʾida: 116–118].
20643 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: ʿAlī ibn ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd ibn Abī Hind, on the authority of ʿĀmir, who said: on the Day of Resurrection two orators arise before the people. Allah, mighty and majestic, says: يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ up to His words: هَٰذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ الصَّادِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ [Al-Māʾida: 116–119]. He said: then Iblīs arises and says: وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ إِلَّا أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ — I cannot save you and you cannot save me.
20644 — Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr related to us, saying: Khālid related to me, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, concerning His words: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ: he said: two orators arise on the Day of Resurrection. As for Iblīs: he says this; as for ʿĪsā: he says: مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ.
20645 — Al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Suwayd ibn Naṣr related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Rashdīn ibn Saʿd, who said: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ziyād informed me, on the authority of Dukhayyn al-Ḥajrī, on the authority of ʿUqba ibn ʿĀmir, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — he mentioned the tradition (ḥadīth) — who said: ʿĪsā says: "That is the unlettered prophet." They come to me and Allah grants me permission to arise. From my seat there rises the most fragrant scent that anyone has ever smelled, until I reach my Lord; He accepts my intercession and grants me light upon light, from the hairs of my head to the nails of my feet. Then the unbelievers say: the believers have found someone to intercede for them; arise then and intercede for us, for you are the one who led us astray. Iblīs arises and from his seat there rises the most foul-smelling stench that anyone has ever smelled; then Hell (jahannam) awaits him (19), and then he speaks: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ — the verse. (20)
20646 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of a man, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning His words: وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ: he said: when it is the Day of Resurrection, Iblīs arises as an orator upon a pulpit of fire and says: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ up to His words: وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ — that is to say: my helpers; إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ: that is to say: on account of your obedience to me in the worldly life.
20647 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of one whom he named, who said: I heard Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī say concerning His words: وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ: Iblīs arose to address them and said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ up to His words: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ — that is to say: I can avert nothing from you; وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ. When they heard his words, they came to hate themselves; it was proclaimed to them: لَمَقْتُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ مِن مَّقْتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ [Ghāfir: 10].
20648 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ: I cannot save you, and you cannot save me. Concerning His words: إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ: he said: I disobeyed Allah before you did.
20649 — Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ: he said: this is the word of Iblīs on the Day of Resurrection; he says: you cannot avail me and I cannot avail you; إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ: he said: his share, his worship.
20650 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His words: بِمُصْرِخِيَّ: he said: my rescuer.
20651 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
20652 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shubl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
20653 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
20654 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, who said: I cannot deliver you, nor can you deliver me.
20655 — Yūnus related to us, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said: the evil yet truthful orator is Iblīs. (21) Look then at a truthful one whose truthfulness does not avail him: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ by which I overwhelmed you; إِلَّا أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي: he said: you obeyed me; فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ because you obeyed me; مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ: I am not your helper nor your rescuer; وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ: you are not my helpers nor my rescuers with respect to what befalls me; إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ.
20656 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥakam, on the authority of ʿUmar ibn Abī Laylā, one of the Banū ʿĀmir, who said: I heard Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī say: وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ — he said: then Iblīs arose, that is to say after the inhabitants of Hell (jahannam) had said: سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْنَا أَجَزِعْنَا أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍ; he delivered an address to them and said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ up to His words: مَّا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ — that is to say: I can avert nothing from you; وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ. When they heard his words, they came to hate themselves; it was proclaimed to them: لَمَقْتُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ مِن مَّقْتِكُمْ — the verse [Ghāfir: 10]. (22)
