Tafseer of The Night Journey · Al-Israa · 17:64
And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.
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.
Allah the Exalted means by His words (وَاسْتَفْزِزْ): incite to recklessness and make waver — derived from the saying: "so-and-so made so-and-so waver (istafazza)" — مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ (whomever of them you can, with your voice — 17:64).
The people of interpretation differed concerning the voice that Allah the Exalted means by وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ . Some said: He means by it the sound of singing and play.
Mention of those who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Layth, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ : he said: "With diversion (lahw) and singing."
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us — he said: I heard Layth mention, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ : he said: "Play and diversion."
Others said: By this is meant (وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ): with your calling him to your obedience and to disobedience to Allah.
Mention of those who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ : he said: "His voice is every caller who calls to disobedience to Allah."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ : he said: "With your calling."
The most correct view here is to say: Allah the Exalted addressed Iblīs: "Make waver whomever you can of the descendants of Ādam with your voice" — without naming any specific voice over another. Every voice that involves a call to him, his work, and his obedience, and an opposition to the call to obedience to Allah, then falls under the meaning of his voice, by which Allah the Exalted addressed him with وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ .
Concerning His words وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ (And bring your cavalry and your infantry together upon them — 17:64): He says: Bring together upon them whoever of your mounted troops and your infantry urges them on with calls to your obedience and to turning away from My obedience. One says: "So-and-so attacked so-and-so shouting loudly (ajlaba ʿalay-hi ijlāban)" when he shouted at him. Al-jalaba is the clamor; sometimes it is also said: "what a jalabu" — as one says: ghalabu and shafaqatu and shafaqu.
In the same vein as what we have set forth here, the people of interpretation spoke.
Mention of those who said that:
Salm ibn Junāda related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us — he said: I heard Layth mention, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ : he said: "Every rider and every walker who engages in disobedience to Allah the Exalted."
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ : he said: "Indeed he has cavalry and infantry from among the jinn and mankind — they are those who obey him."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ : he said: "With the foot-soldiers — al-rijāl are those who go on foot."
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ : he said: "His cavalry: every rider who engages in disobedience to Allah; his infantry: every walker who engages in disobedience to Allah."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ : he said: "Every rider who fights in disobedience to Allah belongs to the cavalry of Iblīs, and every walker in disobedience to Allah belongs to the infantry of Iblīs." Al-rijl is the plural of rājil, just as al-tajr is the plural of tājir (merchant) and al-ṣaḥb is the plural of ṣāḥib (companion).
Concerning His words وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ (and share with them in wealth — 17:64) and in the children: the people of interpretation differed concerning the sharing here meant by وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ . Some said: That is his inciting them to spend their wealth in disobedience to Allah, and to acquire it by impermissible means.
Mention of those who said that:
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us — he said: I heard Layth mention, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): "What they acquired by impermissible means."
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-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): he said: "What was consumed of food in disobedience to Allah."
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: likewise.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: ʿĪsā ibn Yūnus related to us, on the authority of Ṭalḥa ibn ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ, who said: "The sharing in wealth is in usury (ribā)."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ : he said: "He has — by Allah — indeed shared in their wealth. Allah gave them wealth and they spent it in obedience to Satan, outside the right of Allah the Exalted" — and that was also the view of Qatāda.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar: al-Ḥasan said concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): "Command them to earn it by unlawful means and to spend it on the forbidden."
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "Every wealth in disobedience to Allah."
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ : he said: "His sharing with them in wealth and children is what he made attractive to them of acts of disobedience therein, so that they committed them."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): "All that they spent outside its right."
Others said: By this is meant all the prohibition that the polytheists imposed concerning the animals they declared forbidden, such as the baḥīra, the sāʾiba, and the like.
Mention of those who said that:
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 وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ : he said: "The wealth is what they declared forbidden of their livestock."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of ʿImrān ibn Sulaymān, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: "His sharing in wealth: they made the baḥīra, the sāʾiba, and the waṣīla for other than Allah."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): he said: "Indeed he did that. As for the wealth: he commanded them to make a baḥīra, a sāʾiba, a waṣīla, and a ḥāmī."
Abū Jaʿfar says: The correct form is: ḥāmiya.
Others said: By this is meant what the polytheists slaughtered for their gods.
Mention of those who said that: It was related to me via al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he means what they slaughtered for their gods.
The most correct view concerning this is the opinion of those who say that by this is meant every wealth in which Allah was disobeyed by spending it on the forbidden, or by acquiring it in a forbidden manner, or by slaughtering for the gods, or by setting it loose or declaring it a baḥīra for Satan, and everything else by which or in which Allah was disobeyed. For Allah said (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ): all in which Satan was obeyed while Allah was disobeyed therein, in that Iblīs shares with whoever does so — there is no reason to exclude some cases.
Concerning His words (وَالأَوْلادِ): the people of interpretation differed concerning the nature of his sharing with the children of Ādam in their children. Some said: His sharing with them therein is through fornication (zinā) with their mothers.
Mention of those who said that:
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 وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ : he said: "Children of fornication (awlād al-zinā)."
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us — he said: I heard Layth mention, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "Children of fornication."
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-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "Children of fornication."
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: he said: "Children of fornication."
It was related to me via al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "Children of fornication — by this he means the people of polytheism (shirk)."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ : he said: "The children: these are children of fornication."
Others said: By this is meant the burying alive (waʾd) of their children and the killing of them.
Mention of those who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "What they killed of their children and the forbidden acts they committed therein."
Others said: By this is meant their baptizing of the children into unbelief (kufr).
Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of al-Ḥasan, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "He has — by Allah — indeed shared in their wealth and children: they were made Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and baptized in a baptism other than that of Islam, and they took a portion of their wealth for Satan."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "Indeed he did that. As for the children: they made them Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian."
Others said: By this is meant their naming the children ʿAbd al-Ḥārith and ʿAbd Shams.
Mention of those who said that:
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: ʿĪsā ibn Yūnus related to me, on the authority of ʿImrān ibn Sulaymān, on the authority of Abū Ṣāliḥ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning (وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ): he said: "His sharing with them in the children: they named them ʿAbd al-Ḥārith, ʿAbd Shams, and ʿAbd Fulān."
The most correct view concerning this is to say: every child borne by a woman in which Allah was disobeyed by naming it with something Allah finds abhorrent, or by bringing it into a religion other than that which Allah has approved, or by fornication with its mother, or by killing it or burying it alive, or otherwise — by all of that, [there is no reason that] the meaning of "sharing" should be restricted to one particular matter over another. Rather, all in which or by which Allah was disobeyed and Satan was obeyed therein or thereby, that is a sharing of the one who disobeyed Allah therein or thereby with Iblīs therein.
Concerning His words وَعِدْهُمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلا غُرُورًا (Promise them — and Satan promises them nothing but delusion — 17:64): Allah the Exalted says to Iblīs: "Promise your followers among the descendants of Ādam help against whoever wishes them evil." Allah then says وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلا غُرُورًا : for he is not able to deliver them from the punishment of Allah when it descends upon them — they stand in his promises in falsehood and in delusion. As Allah's enemy said to them when the truth came to light: إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ إِلا أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ مَا أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَا أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِنْ قَبْلُ (Indeed, Allah gave you the true promise, and I promised you but failed you — I had no authority over you; I only called you and you answered me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I disavow what you previously associated me with — 14:22).
