Tafseer of Explained in detail · Fussilat · 41:25
And We appointed for them companions who made attractive to them what was before them and what was behind them [of sin], and the word has come into effect upon them among nations which had passed on before them of jinn and men. Indeed, they [all] were losers.
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 the saying of the Exalted: وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنْسِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا خَاسِرِينَ (25)
(And We have assigned for them companions, and they made fair-seeming to them what was before them and what was behind them; and the word came true against them, among communities that had passed away before them of the jinn and mankind. Indeed, they were losers.) (41:25)
The Exalted means by His saying: ( وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ ) (And We have assigned for them companions): and We raised up for them the likes of the devils (shayāṭīn) and made them companions for them, whom We joined to them, and who made fair-seeming to them the foulness of their deeds; thus they made that fair-seeming to them.
And as we have said about this, so have the exegetes said.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: ( وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ ) (And We have assigned for them companions) — he said: the devil (al-shayṭān).
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 His saying: ( وَقَيَّضْنَا لَهُمْ قُرَنَاءَ ) (And We have assigned for them companions) — he said: devils (shayāṭīn).
And His saying: ( فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ) (and they made fair-seeming to them what was before them and what was behind them). He says: their companions from among the devils made fair-seeming to these unbelievers (kuffār) what was before them of the matter of the worldly life; they beautified it for them and made them love it, until they preferred it over the matter of the Hereafter. ( وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ) (and what was behind them) means: and they likewise made fair-seeming to them what comes after their death, in that they called them to the denial of the resurrection, and that whoever of them dies will never be raised, and that there is no reward and no punishment, until they believed them in that; and it was made easy for them to do everything they desired and to give themselves over to all that they took pleasure in of the indecencies, in that they regarded that as good for themselves.
And as we have said about this, so have the exegetes said.
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: ( فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ) (and they made fair-seeming to them what was before them) — of the matter of the worldly life; ( وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ) (and what was behind them) — of the matter of the Hereafter.
And His saying: ( وَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ ) (and the word came true against them). The Exalted says: and the punishment became due upon them because they engaged in that which they engaged in of what their companions — who are among the devils — made fair-seeming to them.
As Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: ( وَحَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ ) (and the word came true against them) — he said: the punishment. ( فِي أُمَمٍ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ ) (among communities that had passed away before them of the jinn and mankind). The Exalted says: and the punishment became due upon these for whom We assigned companions from among the devils, who made fair-seeming to them what was before them and what was behind them, among communities that had passed away before them of their own kind; against them there became due of Our punishment the like of what became due against these — some of them being among the jinn and some among mankind.
( إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا خَاسِرِينَ ) (Indeed, they were losers). He says: indeed, those communities against whom Our punishment became due, of the jinn and mankind, suffered loss because they exchanged the good pleasure and mercy of Allah for His wrath and His punishment.
