يَـٰٓأَبَتِ لَا تَعْبُدِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَصِيًّا 44
Translations
O my father, do not worship [i.e., obey] Satan. Indeed Satan has ever been, to the Most Merciful, disobedient.
Transliteration
Ya abati la ta'bud al-shaytan, inna al-shaytan kana li-al-rahman asiyya
Tafsir (Explanation)
This verse contains Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) admonition to his father, urging him not to worship Satan. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that 'worshipping Satan' here means obeying him and following his suggestions in idol worship, as Satan had deceived people into associating partners with Allah. Al-Tabari emphasizes that calling idol worship as 'worship of Satan' indicates that those who worship idols are ultimately following Satan's deception, since Satan's influence leads people away from the worship of the Most Merciful (al-Rahman).
Revelation Context
Surah Maryam is a Meccan chapter that extensively discusses the stories of the prophets and their calls to monotheism. This particular ayah occurs within Ibrahim's gentle but firm remonstration with his polytheistic father, illustrating the compassionate yet resolute approach of the prophets in conveying the message of Tawhid (monotheism). The context shows Ibrahim's struggle between filial piety and his obligation to call his father to the truth.
Related Hadiths
The Quran itself emphasizes Satan's enmity toward humanity in Surah al-Hijr (15:39) where Satan swears to mislead mankind. Additionally, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Verily, Satan is disappointed that he will not be worshipped in the land of the Arabs, but he is content with their mutual enmity and anger' (Sahih Muslim 2813), connecting to the concept that Satan's influence extends beyond literal worship to leading people into sin and discord.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Satan's primary weapon is deception and misdirection from the worship of Allah alone, whether through obvious idolatry or subtle disobedience. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of discerning between following societal customs and family traditions versus following the truth of monotheistic faith, and doing so with wisdom and gentleness as Ibrahim demonstrated.