Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:119
And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly sustained a clear loss.
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 saying: وَمَنْ يَتَّخِذِ الشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيًّا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُبِينًا (4:119) (And whoever takes Satan as a protector (walī) instead of Allah has indeed suffered a manifest loss.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: This is an announcement from Allah, exalted be His praise, concerning the state of Satan's allotted portion — those who have opposed Allah and His Messenger after the right guidance had become clear to them. Allah says: and whoever follows Satan and obeys him in disobedience to Allah and against His command, and takes him as a protector (walī) — that is: takes him as a guardian for himself and as a helper instead of Allah — فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَانًا مُبِينًا ("has indeed suffered a manifest loss"), He says: he has truly perished with a perishing, and has deprived himself of his portion, and has caused himself to sink into a "manifest" deficiency — a deficiency that makes plain his destruction and ruin. For Satan possesses no help for him against Allah when He punishes him for his disobedience to Him through his having opposed His command; rather, he abandons him at the very moment he needs him. His companionship with him lasts only as long as he lives and enjoys a respite from punishment, as Allah, exalted be His praise, has described him in His saying: يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ("he makes them promises and arouses desires in them, but Satan promises them nothing but delusion"). He, exalted be His praise, means thereby: the rebellious Satan makes to his protégés, who are his allotted portion, the promise that he will be a helper for them against whoever wishes them evil, and a support for them against that person, protecting them from him and defending them; and he arouses in them the desire to attain victory over whoever wishes to do them harm, and to gain triumph and the upper hand over them.
