Overview (Verses 39 - 40)

“[Iblīs] said: ‘My Lord, since You have let me fall in error, I shall make [evil] seem fair to them on earth, and I shall most certainly beguile them all into grievous error, except for those of them who are truly Your faithful servants.’“ (Verses 39-40) It is Iblīs himself who has chosen the battleground, which is the earth. “I shall make evil seem fair to them on earth.” (Verse 39) He also states what he will use for a weapon. He will simply tempt mankind by making what is foul appear to be fair, so that they are tempted to do it. In fact, no human being resorts to foul things unless these seem fair to him by some trick perpetrated by Satan. Thus he sees such foul things in a guise which is different from what they truly are. Hence people should always remember the weapon which Satan uses. If they find something attractive and are tempted, they should make sure lest it has been made to appear so by Satan. Proper refuge is to ensure that their link with their Lord is kept in fine tuning by worshipping Him as He should be worshipped. Even according to his own statement, Satan has no power over God’s faithful servants: “I shall most certainly beguile them all into grievous error, except for those of them who are truly Your faithful servants.” (Verses 39-40) God chooses from among His servants those who purge themselves of all evil and worship Him alone, as though they see Him. It is over such people that Satan holds no sway.