سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 21
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan), then, verily he commands Al-Fahshâ’ [i.e. to commit indecency (illegal sexual intercourse)], and Al-Munkar [disbelief and polytheism (i.e. to do evil and wicked deeds; and to speak or to do what is forbidden in Islâm)]. And had it not been for the Grace of Allâh and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allâh purifies (guides to Islâm) whom He wills, and Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
O you who believe
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
O you who believe
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَتَّبِعُوا۟
tattabiʿū
follow
خُطُوَٰتِ
khuṭuwāti
(the) footsteps
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ
l-shayṭāni
(of) the Shaitaan
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يَتَّبِعْ
yattabiʿ
follows
خُطُوَٰتِ
khuṭuwāti
(the) footsteps
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ
l-shayṭāni
(of) the Shaitaan
فَإِنَّهُۥ
fa-innahu
then indeed, he
يَأْمُرُ
yamuru
commands
بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ
bil-faḥshāi
the immorality
وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ
wal-munkari
and the evil
وَلَوْلَا
walawlā
And if not
فَضْلُ
faḍlu
(for the) Grace of Allah
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(for the) Grace of Allah
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ
waraḥmatuhu
and His Mercy
مَا
mā
not
زَكَىٰ
zakā
(would) have been pure
مِنكُم
minkum
among you
مِّنْ
min
anyone
أَحَدٍ
aḥadin
anyone
أَبَدًۭا
abadan
ever
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُزَكِّى
yuzakkī
purifies
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۗ
yashāu
He wills
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
سَمِيعٌ
samīʿun
(is) All-Hearer
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knower
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
21-1. At this point, after the prohibition of following Satan, the statement that if it were not for Allah’s grace and His mercy, none of you would have been purified, indicates that those who were saved from being involved in the aforementioned incident of Ifk, it was solely due to Allah’s grace and kindness upon them; otherwise, they too would have been swept away in the same current in which some Muslims were swept away. Therefore, to be protected from Satan’s tricks and deception, firstly, always seek help from Allah and keep turning to Him, and secondly, those who, due to the weakness of their souls, have fallen prey to Satan’s deception, do not make them a frequent target of blame, but rather try to reform them in a well-wishing manner.
