Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:117
They call upon instead of Him none but female [deities], and they [actually] call upon none but a rebellious Satan.
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.
The explanation of His word: لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَالَ لأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبًا مَفْرُوضًا (4:118)
(Allah has cursed him; and he said: "I shall most certainly take to myself an appointed portion of Your servants.")
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted means by His word, "Allah has cursed him" — He has disgraced him, expelled him, and removed him far away.
And the meaning of the statement is: وَإِنْ يَدْعُونَ إِلا شَيْطَانًا مَرِيدًا (And they call upon none but a rebellious satan), whom Allah has already cursed and removed far from all good.
"And he said: 'I shall most certainly take to myself'" — by this is meant: that the rebellious satan said to his Lord when He cursed him: "I shall most certainly take to myself an appointed portion of Your servants."
By "the appointed (al-mafrūḍ)" He means: the known, as in:
10444 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Nuʿaym related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: "an appointed portion" — he said: a known portion.
If someone asks: and how does the satan take to himself an appointed portion of Allah's servants?
Then it is answered: he takes that portion of them to himself by seducing them away from the straight way, and calling them to his obedience, and beautifying for them error and unbelief (kufr) until he makes them deviate from the course of the path. So whoever answers his call and follows what he has beautified for him, that one belongs to his known portion and his allotted share.
And the Exalted has, in this verse, reported only that which He reported about the satan, of his saying: "I shall most certainly take to myself an appointed portion of Your servants," so that those who opposed the Messenger after the guidance had become clear to them would know that they belong to the appointed portion of the satan whom Allah has cursed, and that they belong to those concerning whom his surmise has been confirmed true.
And we have already demonstrated the meaning of "the curse (al-laʿna)" earlier, so we do not wish to repeat it.
