mubarak's

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Tafseer Ibnu Kathir: The Devil's Inspiration


Allah said,

[وَإِنَّ الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ]

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends to dispute with you,) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Ishaq said that a man said to Ibn `Umar that Al-Mukhtar claimed that he received revelation. So Ibn `Umar said, "He has said the truth,'' and recited this Ayah,

[وَإِنَّ الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ]

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends...)
Abu Zamil said, "I was sitting next to Ibn `Abbas at a time when Al-Mukhtar bin Abi `Ubayd was performing Hajj. So a man came to Ibn `Abbas and said, `O Ibn `Abbas! Abu Ishaq (Al-Mukhtar) claimed that he received revelation this night.' Ibn `Abbas said, He has said the truth.' I was upset and said, `Ibn `Abbas says that Al-Mukhtar has said the truth' Ibn `Abbas replied, `There are two types of revelation, one from Allah and one from the devil. Allah's revelation came to Muhammad , while the Shaytan's revelation comes to his friends.' He then recited,

[وَإِنَّ الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ]

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends...) We also mentioned `Ikrimah's commentary on the Ayah,

[يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُوراً]

(Inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.) Allah said next,

[لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ]

(to dispute with you,) Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented;

[وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ]

(Eat not of that on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned...) until,

[لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ]

(...to dispute with you,) "The devils inspire their loyal supporters, `Do you eat from what you kill but not from what Allah causes to die''' As-Suddi said; "Some idolators said to the Muslims, `You claim that you seek Allah's pleasure. Yet, you do not eat what Allah causes to die, but you eat what you slaughter' Allah said,

[وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ]

(and if you obey them...), and eat dead animals,

[إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ]

(then you would indeed be polytheists. ) Similar was said by Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and several others among scholars of the Salaf.