قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ 16
Translations
[Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them [i.e., mankind] on Your straight path.
Transliteration
Qāla fa-bimā aghwaytanī la-aqʿudanna lahum ṣirāṭaka al-mustaqīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
Iblis responds to Allah's reprieve by swearing that he will sit in wait on the straight path of Allah to lead humanity astray, as a consequence of Allah allowing him respite until the Day of Judgment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Iblis's declaration of enmity toward mankind and his determination to prove that humans are unworthy of the honor Allah bestowed upon them. This ayah illustrates Iblis's malevolent resolve and reveals the nature of his deception—he will not use force but rather will subtly waylay those on the path to righteousness.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the dialogue between Allah and Iblis following the latter's expulsion from divine mercy due to his refusal to bow to Adam. The context encompasses Surah 7:11-18, where Allah grants Iblis's request for respite until the Day of Judgment, and Iblis responds with this oath. This exchange establishes the cosmic struggle between guidance and misguidance that pervades human existence.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3288) relates that the Prophet ﷺ said Iblis places his throne upon water and sends forth his troops, with the closest to him being those most successful in causing discord. Additionally, Surah 15:39-44 provides Iblis's own elaboration of this same theme, where he vows to mislead humanity except Allah's sincere servants.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that spiritual struggle is an inescapable reality and that remaining steadfast on the straight path requires constant vigilance and reliance on Allah's guidance. It teaches that while Iblis and his forces work to lead us astray, Allah has provided us with revelation, intellect, and the capacity to choose righteousness, making our accountability real and our moral choices consequential.
Related Ayahs
فَوَقَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.
سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ سَبِيلَ ٱلرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ سَبِيلَ ٱلْغَىِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا غَـٰفِلِينَ
I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it as a way; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as a way. That is because they have denied Our signs and they were heedless of them.
ثُمَّ لَـَٔاتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـٰكِرِينَ
Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]."
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا۟ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَـٰثِمِينَ
So the earthquake seized them, and they became within their home [corpses] fallen prone.