Tafsir

The Command to seek Refuge with Allah before reciting the Qur'an

This is a command from Allah to His servants upon the tongue of His Prophet , telling them that when they want to read Qur'an, they should seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan. The Hadiths mentioned about seeking refuge with Allah (Isti`adhah), were quoted in our discussion at the beginning of this Tafsir, praise be to Allah. The reason for seeking refuge with Allah before reading is that the reader should not get confused or mixed up, and that the Shaytan would not confuse him or stop him from thinking about and pondering over the meaning of what he reads. Hence the majority of scholars said that refuge should be sought with Allah before starting to read. إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord.) Ath-Thawri said: "He has no power to make them commit a sin they will not repent from." Others said: it means that he has no argument for them.

Others said it is like the Ayah: إِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ (Except Your chosen servants amongst them.) 15:40 إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـنُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ(His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Shaytan), ) Mujahid said: "Those who obey him." Others said, "Those who take him as their protector instead of Allah." وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ(and those who join partners with Him.) means, those who associate others in worship with Allah.

The way of Faith and Trust in Allah is the way of freedom from the power and control of the Shaitan

Verses 99 and 100 make it clear that Allah Ta’ ala has not given the Shaitan the kind of power which would disarm any human being and compel him to become helpless and take to evil. So, should one opt for not using his capability of choice and control because of sheer carelessness or some selfish motive, then, this would be his own fault. Therefore, it was said that people who have faith in Allah and who, rather than trust their will power in their states and actions, place their ultimate trust in Allah Ta’ ala for He is the One who gives us the ability to do everything good and also the One who shields us from everything evil. The Shaitan cannot possess and dictate such people. Of course, those who elect to befriend none but the Shaitan because of their selfish motives, particularly like things about him and go about associating others in the pristine divinity of Allah Ta` ala, then, the Shaitan is all over them, in possession, in control, and would not let them go towards anything good while, in every evil, they are right in front.

The same subject has been taken up in verse 42 of Surah al-Hijr where Allah Ta’ ala has Himself refuted the claim of the Shaitan by saying: إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ (Surely, My servants [ are such that ] you have no power over them - except [ over ] the one who follows you from among the astray - 15:42).

إن الشيطان ليس له تسلُّطٌ على المؤمنين بالله ورسوله، وعلى ربهم وحده يعتمدون. إنما تسلُّطه على الذين جعلوه مُعينًا لهم وأطاعوه، والذين هم -بسبب طاعته- مشركون بالله تعالى.

( إنما سلطانه على الذين يتولونه ) قال مجاهد : يطيعونه .وقال آخرون : اتخذوه وليا من دون الله .( والذين هم به مشركون ) أي : أشركوا في عبادة الله تعالى . ويحتمل أن تكون الباء سببية ، أي : صاروا بسبب طاعتهم للشيطان مشركين بالله تعالى .وقال آخرون : معناه : أنه شركهم في الأموال والأولاد .