Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (Hafizahullah)
“[Remember] when He covered you with drowsiness, giving you tranquility from Himself, and sent down upon you rain from the sky to cleanse you and to remove from you the defilement of Satan and to strengthen your hearts and make your feet firm.”
(Surah Al-Anfal: 11)
وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً —
During the battle, there were mounds of sand between the Muslims and the water source, making it difficult for them. They faced severe weakness, and Satan instilled whispers of doubt and frustration in their hearts, suggesting that if they were truly Allah's chosen people with His Prophet among them, why were the idolaters superior in securing the water? Satan’s intent was to unsettle them, but Allah sent heavy rain. The Muslims drank, purified themselves, and removed Satan’s doubts and impurities from their hearts. The rain compacted the sandy terrain, making it easier for their movements and for the animals to traverse smoothly. (Tafsir Al-Tabari, 9/195)
“And [remember] when Satan made their deeds seem pleasing to them and said, ‘No one can overcome you today from among the people, and indeed, I am your supporter.’ But when the two armies sighted each other, he turned on his heels and said, ‘Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I see what you do not see; indeed, I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in penalty.’”
(Surah Al-Anfal: 48)
However, when the ranks were drawn, and the two forces faced each other, Satan saw what the idolaters could not—Allah’s divine assistance through angels descending to support the Muslims. At that moment, Satan panicked, turned back, and abandoned the disbelievers. He publicly disassociated himself, saying, “I see what you do not see. I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.”
As the battle began, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raised his hands in supplication, saying, “O my Lord! If this group is defeated today, there will be no one left to worship You.” Jibril (AS) then instructed the Prophet ﷺ to take a handful of dirt and throw it towards the disbelievers. The Prophet ﷺ did so, and the dirt hit every disbeliever, causing confusion and chaos among them.
At that moment, Satan saw the descending army of angels and fled. When asked by a man why he was abandoning them despite his earlier promise of support, Satan replied, “I disassociate myself from you. I see what you do not see, and I fear Allah.”
Thus, Satan’s efforts to mislead the Muslims failed, and his alliance with the disbelievers only led them to defeat.
Allah's Statement in the Quran:
إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِّنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الْأَقْدَامَ“[Remember] when He covered you with drowsiness, giving you tranquility from Himself, and sent down upon you rain from the sky to cleanse you and to remove from you the defilement of Satan and to strengthen your hearts and make your feet firm.”
(Surah Al-Anfal: 11)
Explanation of the Verse:
This verse highlights a great favor Allah granted to the Muslims during the Battle of Badr. He cast drowsiness upon them, which calmed their fears, and as a result, they no longer felt overwhelmed by the enemy's large numbers.وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً —
During the battle, there were mounds of sand between the Muslims and the water source, making it difficult for them. They faced severe weakness, and Satan instilled whispers of doubt and frustration in their hearts, suggesting that if they were truly Allah's chosen people with His Prophet among them, why were the idolaters superior in securing the water? Satan’s intent was to unsettle them, but Allah sent heavy rain. The Muslims drank, purified themselves, and removed Satan’s doubts and impurities from their hearts. The rain compacted the sandy terrain, making it easier for their movements and for the animals to traverse smoothly. (Tafsir Al-Tabari, 9/195)
Satan’s Role in Misguiding the Disbelievers:
وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّـهَ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ“And [remember] when Satan made their deeds seem pleasing to them and said, ‘No one can overcome you today from among the people, and indeed, I am your supporter.’ But when the two armies sighted each other, he turned on his heels and said, ‘Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I see what you do not see; indeed, I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in penalty.’”
(Surah Al-Anfal: 48)
Explanation:
Satan glorified the actions of the disbelievers, making them confident in their numbers and power. He assured them that they would be victorious and that they had nothing to fear. Disguised as a man from the tribe of Banu Mudlij, specifically as Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju’sham, Satan accompanied the idolaters and said, “No one can defeat you today.”However, when the ranks were drawn, and the two forces faced each other, Satan saw what the idolaters could not—Allah’s divine assistance through angels descending to support the Muslims. At that moment, Satan panicked, turned back, and abandoned the disbelievers. He publicly disassociated himself, saying, “I see what you do not see. I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.”
Detailed Incident:
During the Battle of Badr, Iblis appeared as Suraqah bin Malik along with a group of devils disguised as human supporters. He reassured the disbelievers of their strength and instilled false confidence. Abu Jahl invoked false prayers, saying, “O Allah, whoever among us is upon the truth, grant him victory.”As the battle began, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raised his hands in supplication, saying, “O my Lord! If this group is defeated today, there will be no one left to worship You.” Jibril (AS) then instructed the Prophet ﷺ to take a handful of dirt and throw it towards the disbelievers. The Prophet ﷺ did so, and the dirt hit every disbeliever, causing confusion and chaos among them.
At that moment, Satan saw the descending army of angels and fled. When asked by a man why he was abandoning them despite his earlier promise of support, Satan replied, “I disassociate myself from you. I see what you do not see, and I fear Allah.”
Thus, Satan’s efforts to mislead the Muslims failed, and his alliance with the disbelievers only led them to defeat.