وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيْطَـٰنٍ مَّرِيدٍ 3
Translations
And of the people is he who disputes about Allāh without knowledge and follows every rebellious devil.
Transliteration
Wa mina an-nasi man yujadilu fi-Allah bi-ghayri ilmin wa yattabi'u kulla shayṭanin mariid
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who argue and dispute about Allah's religion without knowledge, following every rebellious devil who misleads them. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that such disputation stems from ignorance and arrogance, as these individuals abandon divine guidance in favor of satanic whispers. The phrase 'every rebellious devil' refers to both spiritual shaytans and human devils who spread misguidance.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Medina, this ayah is part of the broader context of Surah Al-Hajj which addresses theological disputes and clarifies matters of faith. The surah was revealed during a period when various groups—including polytheists, people of the book, and hypocrites—were engaging in vain arguments about monotheism and the message of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This ayah specifically addresses the futility and danger of such baseless disputation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most hated of people to Allah are three: a man who quarrels in the Sacred Mosque, one who seeks revenge outside the limits set by Allah, and one who sheds blood unlawfully' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet warned against excessive argumentation in religious matters, stating that the worst among people are those who dispute about Allah without knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that sincere faith requires grounding in knowledge and avoiding blind following of opinions—whether from society or one's own desires. In our modern age of information overload and polarization, believers should prioritize seeking authentic Islamic knowledge and avoiding fruitless debates that lack basis in the Quran and authentic Sunnah.
Related Ayahs
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلْعَذَابِ وَلَن يُخْلِفَ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥ ۚ وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ
And they urge you to hasten the punishment. But Allāh will never fail in His promise. And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count.
وَأَصْحَـٰبُ مَدْيَنَ ۖ وَكُذِّبَ مُوسَىٰ فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ
And the inhabitants of Madyan. And Moses was denied, so I prolonged enjoyment for the disbelievers; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My reproach.
لِّيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِى ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ
[That is] so He may make what Satan throws in [i.e., asserts] a trial for those within whose hearts is disease and those hard of heart. And indeed, the wrongdoers are in extreme dissension.
ثُمَّ لْيَقْضُوا۟ تَفَثَهُمْ وَلْيُوفُوا۟ نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا۟ بِٱلْبَيْتِ ٱلْعَتِيقِ
Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform ṭawāf around the ancient House."