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Sura 19
Aya 83
83
أَلَم تَرَ أَنّا أَرسَلنَا الشَّياطينَ عَلَى الكافِرينَ تَؤُزُّهُم أَزًّا

Muhammad Asad

ART THOU NOT aware that We have let loose all [manner of] satanic forces1 upon those who deny the truth - [forces] that impel them [towards sin] with strong impulsion?2
  • Lit., "the satans", by which term the Qur'an often describes all that is intrinsically evil, especially the immoral impulses in man's own soul (cf. note 10 on 2:14 and note 33 on verse 44 of the present surah).
  • See note 31 on 15:41. According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the expression "We have let loose (arsalna) all [manner of] satanic forces (shayatin) upon those who deny the truth" has here the meaning of "We have allowed them to be active (khallayna) among them", leaving it to man's free will to accept or to reject those evil influences or impulses. Razi, in particular. points in this context to surah 14, verse 22, according to which Satan will thus address the sinners on Resurrection Day: "I had no power at all over you: I but called you - and you responded to me. Hence, blame not me, but blame yourselves." See also note 31 on 14:22, in which Razi's comment is quoted verbatim.