هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن تَنَزَّلُ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينُ 221
Translations
Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?
Transliteration
Hal unabbikum 'ala man tanazzalu ash-shayatin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah asks rhetorically whether He should inform the believers about upon whom the devils descend. This ayah introduces the subsequent explanation that the devils descend upon every sinful liar and spreader of falsehood, contrasting them with the truthful poets and believers who receive divine guidance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as Allah's warning against following those influenced by demonic whispers, particularly false poets and deceivers who use their eloquence to spread misguidance rather than truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets), a Meccan surah that defends the Quran against accusations that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a poet inspired by jinn. The surah distinguishes between righteous poets who follow truth and unrighteous ones who are influenced by satanic forces. This specific ayah refutes the pagan accusation that the Prophet received revelation from devils rather than Allah.
Related Hadiths
The hadith reported by Ibn Abbas states that the Prophet said the devil is closer to a person than their jugular vein (Sahih Bukhari 3282), emphasizing how satanic influence operates. Additionally, the hadith warning against following poetry that contradicts the Quran relates to this ayah's broader theme of distinguishing truth from falsehood.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to be discerning about the sources of influence in their lives, recognizing that not all eloquent speech or popular figures are guided by truth—we must measure all claims against the Quran and Sunnah, and be wary of those whose words encourage vice and deviation from righteousness.