Surah Al Jathiyah Tafseer

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ

Have you seen him who takes his own lust as his god,

who abides by his lust, and whatever his lust portrays as good he implements it, and whatever his lust portrays as evil, he abandons it!

Allah's statement,

وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ

And Allah left him astray with knowledge,

has two meanings.

- One of them is that Allah knew that this person deserves to be misguided, so He left him astray.

- The second meaning is that Allah led this person astray after knowledge reached him and the proof was established before him.

The second meaning includes the first meaning, but not the opposite.

Allah said,

وَخَتَمَ عَلَى سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَى بَصَرِهِ

غِشَاوَةً

and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight.

so he does not hear what benefits him, understands not what would lead him to the guidance and sees not the evidence with which he can be enlightened.

This is why Allah said,

فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember?

Allah said in a similar Ayah,

مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions. (7:186)