Surah Al An'am Tafseer

The Parable of Those Who Revert to Disbelief After Faith and Good Deeds

As-Suddi said,

"Some idolators said to some Muslims, `Follow us and abandon the religion of Muhammad.' Allah sent down the revelation,

قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُنَا وَلَا يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَابِنَا

Say:"Shall we invoke others besides Allah, that can do us neither good nor harm, and shall we turn on our heels..."

by reverting to disbelief,

بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ

"...after Allah has guided us."

for if we do this, our example will be like he whom the devils have caused to wander in confusion throughout the land.

Allah says here, your example, if you revert to disbelief after you believed, is that of a man who went with some people on a road, but he lost his way and the devils led him to wander in confusion over the land. Meanwhile, his companions on the road were calling him to come to them saying, `Come back to us, for we are on the path.' But, he refused to go back to them. This is the example of he who follows the devil after recognizing Muhammad, and Muhammad is the person who is calling the people to the path, and the path is Islam."

Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.

Allah's statement,

كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الَارْضِ

حَيْرَانَ

Like one whom the Shayatin (devils) have made to go astray confused (wandering) through the land,

refers to ghouls,

لَهُ أَصْحَابٌ يَدْعُونَهُ إِلَى الْهُدَى ايْتِنَا

his companions calling him to guidance (saying):`Come to us."'

(calling him) by his name, his father's and his grandfather's names. So he follows the devils' call thinking that it is a path of guidance, but by the morning he will find himself destroyed and perhaps they eat him. The Jinns will then let him wander in a wasteland where he will die of thirst.

This is the example of those who follow the false gods that are being worshipped instead of Allah, Most Honored.

Ibn Jarir also recorded this.

Allah said,

قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىَ

Say:"Verily, Allah's guidance is the only guidance,"

Allah said in other instances,

وَمَن يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّضِلٍّ

And whomsoever Allah guides, for him there will be none to misguide him. (39:37)

and,

إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ

If you covet for their guidance, then verily Allah guides not those whom He makes to go astray. And they will have no helpers. (17:37)

Allah's statement,

وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

and we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all that exists.

means, we were commanded to worship Allah in sincerity to Him alone, without partners