Tafseer of The Pilgrimage · Al-Hajj · 22:53
[That is] so He may make what Satan throws in a trial for those within whose hearts is disease and those hard of heart. And indeed, the wrongdoers are in extreme dissension.
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, exalted be His remembrance, says: Allah knows what Satan casts, and then He confirms His signs — so that what Satan casts into the wish of His Prophet of falsehood, such as the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: "tilka l-gharānīqu l-ʿulā, wa-inna shafāʿata-hunna la-tartajā," He makes a trial (fitna). That is to say: a test by which He tests those in whose hearts there is a disease of hypocrisy (nifāq), namely doubt about the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the reality of what he conveys to them.
In accordance with what we have said in this regard, the exegetes have spoken.
Mention of those who said this: Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: the Prophet ﷺ wished that Allah would not disparage the gods of the polytheists — whereupon Satan cast onto his wish and said: "Truly the gods that you invoke, their intercession is to be hoped for, and they are the exalted cranes." Whereupon Allah erased that and confirmed His signs: أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللاتَ وَالْعُزَّى — until he reached: مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ. Qatāda said: When Satan cast what he cast, the polytheists said: "Allah has mentioned their gods with something good" — and they rejoiced over it. Whereupon He mentioned His saying: لِيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِي الشَّيْطَانُ فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ.
Al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda — the like of it.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, concerning the saying: لِيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِي الشَّيْطَانُ فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ — he says: and for those whose hearts are hardened against belief in Allah, so that they do not soften and do not return — and these are the polytheists of Allah.
In accordance with what we have said in this regard, the exegetes have spoken.
Mention of those who said this: Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj: وَالْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ — he said: the polytheists.
His saying: وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَفِي شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ — Allah, exalted be His remembrance, says: And truly the polytheists of your people, O Muḥammad, are indeed in opposition to the command of Allah, far removed from the truth.
