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 al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 21) ➊ For the explanation of {يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَتَّبِعُوْا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِ… : ’’ خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِ ‘‘}, see Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah (168), and for the details of {’’ بِالْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ ‘‘}, see Surah An-Nahl, Ayah (90). First, it is said: «{ لَا تَتَّبِعُوْا خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِ }», then, by bringing the pronoun for {’’ الشَّيْطٰنِ ‘‘}, instead of saying {’’وَ مَنْ يَّتَّبِعْ خُطُوَاتِهِ‘‘}, the name is mentioned again: « وَ مَنْ يَّتَّبِعْ خُطُوٰتِ الشَّيْطٰنِ ». The purpose is to draw attention so that a person thinks about whom he is following.
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَا فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُهٗ …:} From this verse, it is understood that no person can keep himself pure in any way, nor can he purify himself. If a human is left to his own state, no one would remain pure, because Satan and his army are determined to mislead him and continue to present “fahsha” and “munkar” in an attractive way before him. The evil-commanding soul inclines towards them and commands them. Man is created weak; it is only Allah’s grace and His mercy by which a person remains pure from sins, or after sinning, becomes pure through repentance. For verses of this meaning, see Surah An-Nisa (16, 17) and Surah An-Najm (32).
➌ At this point, the purpose of these words seems to be that those who were saved from being involved in the aforementioned incident of Ifk, it was only Allah’s grace and favor upon them, otherwise they too would have been swept away in the same current in which some Muslims were swept away. Therefore, to be safe from the deception and trickery of Satan, firstly, always seek help from Allah and turn to Him, and secondly, those who, due to the weakness of their souls, became victims of Satan’s deception, do not make them a greater target of blame, but rather correct them in a well-wishing manner.
➍ { وَّ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُزَكِّيْ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, Allah purifies whom He wills, but His will is not blind; rather, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Because of this knowledge, He purifies those whom He knows to be worthy of purification, as He said: «{ اِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِيْ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِيْنَ }» [ القصص : ۵۶ ] “Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.”
➋ { وَ لَوْ لَا فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُهٗ …:} From this verse, it is understood that no person can keep himself pure in any way, nor can he purify himself. If a human is left to his own state, no one would remain pure, because Satan and his army are determined to mislead him and continue to present “fahsha” and “munkar” in an attractive way before him. The evil-commanding soul inclines towards them and commands them. Man is created weak; it is only Allah’s grace and His mercy by which a person remains pure from sins, or after sinning, becomes pure through repentance. For verses of this meaning, see Surah An-Nisa (16, 17) and Surah An-Najm (32).
➌ At this point, the purpose of these words seems to be that those who were saved from being involved in the aforementioned incident of Ifk, it was only Allah’s grace and favor upon them, otherwise they too would have been swept away in the same current in which some Muslims were swept away. Therefore, to be safe from the deception and trickery of Satan, firstly, always seek help from Allah and turn to Him, and secondly, those who, due to the weakness of their souls, became victims of Satan’s deception, do not make them a greater target of blame, but rather correct them in a well-wishing manner.
➍ { وَّ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُزَكِّيْ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ اللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ :} That is, Allah purifies whom He wills, but His will is not blind; rather, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Because of this knowledge, He purifies those whom He knows to be worthy of purification, as He said: «{ اِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِيْ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِيْنَ }» [ القصص : ۵۶ ] “Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.”
