قَالَ ٱذْهَبْ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمْ جَزَآءً مَّوْفُورًا 63
Translations
[Allāh] said, "Go, for whoever of them follows you, indeed Hell will be the recompense of [all of] you - an ample recompense.
Transliteration
Qala idhhab faman tabi'aka minhum fa'inna jahannama jazaa'ukum jazaa'an mawfuran
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands Iblis to depart, and informs him that whoever from mankind follows him shall have Hellfire as their reward—a full and complete punishment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah's declaration that Iblis's seduction of humans will lead his followers to eternal torment, establishing the consequence of deviation from divine guidance. This ayah emphasizes personal accountability: each soul that chooses to follow Iblis's whispers bears responsibility for that choice and its punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Iblis's expulsion from Allah's mercy (17:61-65), occurring in the context of the story of Adam's creation and Iblis's arrogance. The surah addresses the insolence of the Quraysh and their denial of the Message, while this passage illustrates how those who reject guidance—like Iblis—and lead others astray will face severe punishment. The theme connects to the overall Meccan context of warning against following desires over revelation.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2865) where the Prophet (SAW) said, 'When Allah decided to create creation, He wrote in His Book: My mercy prevails over My wrath,' relates to the justice of punishment for those who follow Iblis despite clear warning. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah records that the Prophet warned against following the footsteps of Shaytan, connecting to the consequence mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that following desires and Satanic whispers over divine guidance carries severe consequences, and that each person is responsible for their own choices—no one else can bear our burden on the Day of Judgment. It should inspire us to be vigilant against temptation and to consciously choose obedience to Allah over the whisperings of Shaytan.