Tafseer of The Night Journey · Al-Israa · 17:53
And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.
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.
And His word وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ (And say to My servants that they should say that which is best) — Allah the Exalted says to His prophet Muḥammad ﷺ:
Say, O Muḥammad, to My servants that they should say to one another that which is best in mutual conversation and mutual address.
As Khallād ibn Aslam related to us, he said: al-Naḍr related to us, he said: al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning this verse وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ: he said: "That which is best — let him not say the same as was said to him; let him say: may Allah have mercy on you, may Allah forgive you."
And His word إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ (Verily, Satan sows discord among them) — that is: Satan corrupts the mutual conversation of some of them with others through his meddling among them — that is: he brings about corruption among them and incites evil among them. إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا (Verily, Satan is a manifest enemy to man) — that is: Satan was an enemy to Ādam and his descendants, who made his enmity clear to them through what he showed Ādam of envy and through tempting Ādam until he caused him to depart from the Garden (janna).
