ٱسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فَأَنسَىٰهُمْ ذِكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ حِزْبُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزْبَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ 19
Translations
Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allāh. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers.
Transliteration
Istahwaza alayihim ash-shaytan fa-ansa-hum dhikr Allah. Ula'ika hizb ash-shaytan. Ala inna hizb ash-shaytan hum al-khasiroon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Satan gains dominion over those who have turned away from Allah's remembrance, causing them to forget the remembrance of Allah altogether. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, those who allow Satan to overcome them become part of his faction and are ultimately the losers in this life and the Hereafter. The ayah emphasizes that following Satan's whispers and abandoning dhikr (remembrance of Allah) leads to spiritual ruin and eternal loss.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Mujadila, which addresses those who engage in idle talk, gossip, and spreading discord in the Muslim community. The surah contrasts the behavior of those who remember Allah and work righteously with those who have become heedless through Satan's influence. This particular ayah serves as a warning to those who have neglected Allah's remembrance and become engrossed in worldly pursuits.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The best supplication is 'Alhamdulillah' (All praise is due to Allah), and the best remembrance is 'La ilaha illallah' (there is no deity except Allah)' - Jami' at-Tirmidhi. Additionally, 'Whoever remembers Allah much, Allah will remember him' - Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Themes
Key Lesson
The ayah teaches that protecting oneself from Satan's influence requires constant and conscious remembrance of Allah; negligence in dhikr creates a spiritual vacuum that Satan exploits. For modern readers, this underscores the critical importance of daily Quranic recitation, prayer, and mindful remembrance of Allah as shields against spiritual decline and worldly distractions.