Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha, may Allah preserve him
What is Satan’s deception?
Answer:
Allah Almighty states:
«وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّوا فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ ﴿١٤﴾ لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ ﴿١٥﴾»
[Al-Hijr: 14-15]
"And if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending through it, they would say, 'Our eyes have only been dazzled; rather, we are a people affected by magic.'"
Similarly, Allah Almighty says:
«وَإِن يَرَوْا كِسْفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ سَاقِطًا يَقُولُوا سَحَابٌ مَّرْكُومٌ»
[At-Tur: 44]
"And if they were to see a fragment from the sky falling, they would say, 'It is but a heap of clouds.'"
Allah further states:
«قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُ أَصْحَابٌ يَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى الْهُدَى ائْتِنَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىٰ ۖ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ»
[Al-An'am: 71]
"Say, 'Shall we invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us and turn back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like one whom the devils have enticed to wander upon the earth confused, while his companions invite him to guidance, [calling], 'Come to us.' Say, 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [true] guidance; and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.'"
This means that the polytheists said to the Muslims, “Follow our path and abandon the religion of Muhammad ﷺ,” so Allah revealed this verse:
«قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّه»
which indicates that in doing so, they would be like a person whom the devils have caused to stray on the earth, echoing words similar to theirs.
What is Satan’s deception?
Answer:
Allah Almighty states:
«وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّوا فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ ﴿١٤﴾ لَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَارُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ ﴿١٥﴾»
[Al-Hijr: 14-15]
"And if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending through it, they would say, 'Our eyes have only been dazzled; rather, we are a people affected by magic.'"
Similarly, Allah Almighty says:
«وَإِن يَرَوْا كِسْفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ سَاقِطًا يَقُولُوا سَحَابٌ مَّرْكُومٌ»
[At-Tur: 44]
"And if they were to see a fragment from the sky falling, they would say, 'It is but a heap of clouds.'"
Allah further states:
«قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّهُ كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ لَهُ أَصْحَابٌ يَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى الْهُدَى ائْتِنَا ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىٰ ۖ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ»
[Al-An'am: 71]
"Say, 'Shall we invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits us nor harms us and turn back on our heels after Allah has guided us? Like one whom the devils have enticed to wander upon the earth confused, while his companions invite him to guidance, [calling], 'Come to us.' Say, 'Indeed, the guidance of Allah is the [true] guidance; and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.'"
This means that the polytheists said to the Muslims, “Follow our path and abandon the religion of Muhammad ﷺ,” so Allah revealed this verse:
«قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللَّه»
which indicates that in doing so, they would be like a person whom the devils have caused to stray on the earth, echoing words similar to theirs.
