Surah 14

Surah 14:22

"And Satan will say, when the matter is decided, ‘Surely God promised you a true promise, and I (too) promised you, (but) then I broke (my promise) to you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I am not going to help you, nor are you going to help me. Surely I disbelieved in your associating me (with God) before.’ Surely the evildoers – for them (there is) a painful punishment."
Tafsir Ibn Kathir Verses 14:22-23
Show Full Scripture Context (14:22-23) — 2 Verses
Verse 22

وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمۡ وَعۡدَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمۡ فَأَخۡلَفۡتُكُمۡۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّن سُلۡطَٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوۡتُكُمۡ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡتُمۡ لِيۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصۡرِخِكُمۡ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصۡرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرۡتُ بِمَآ أَشۡرَكۡتُمُونِ مِن قَبۡلُۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ

And Satan will say, when the matter is decided, ‘Surely God promised you a true promise, and I (too) promised you, (but) then I broke (my promise) to you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I am not going to help you, nor are you going to help me. Surely I disbelieved in your associating me (with God) before.’ Surely the evildoers – for them (there is) a painful punishment.

Verse 23

وَأُدۡخِلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡۖ تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ فِيهَا سَلَٰمٌ

But those who believe and do righteous deeds – they are made to enter Gardens through which rivers flow, there to remain by the permission of their Lord. Their greeting there is: ‘Peace!’

Quoted Scripture
"Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth."

by the words of His Messengers that if you follow them, you will gain safety and deliverance. Truly, Allah's promise was true and correct news, while I promised you then betrayed you.' Allah said in another Ayah,

{He (Shaytan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions.} (4:120)

Quoted Scripture
"I had no authority over you"

Shaytan will say, 'I had no proof for what I called you to, nor evidence for what I promised you,

Quoted Scripture
"except that I called you, and you responded to me."

even though the Messengers establish the proof and unequivocal evidences against you and affirmed the truth of what they were sent to you with. But you disobeyed the Messengers and ended up earning this fate,

{So blame me not,} today,

{but blame yourselves.}, because it is your fault for defying the proofs and following me in the falsehood that I called you to.'
Shaytan will say next,

{cannot help you}, I cannot benefit, save, or deliver you from what you are suffering,

{nor can you help me.}, nor can you save me and deliver me from the torment and punishment I am suffering,

Quoted Scripture
"I deny your former act of associating me (Shaytan) as a partner with Allah."

'or because you associated me with Allah before,' according to Qatadah. Ibn Jarir commented; "I deny being a partner with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored." This opinion is the most plausible, for Allah said in other Ayat,

{And who is more astray than one who calls on others besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls to them? And when mankind are gathered, they will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping.} [46:5-6] and,

{Nay, but they (the so-called gods) will deny their worship of them, and become opponents to them.} [19:82]

Allah said next,

{Verily, the wrongdoers who deviate from truth and follow falsehood, will earn a painful torment.} It appears that this part of the Ayah narrates the speech that Shaytan will deliver to the people of the Fire after they enter it, as we stated. 'Amir Ash-Sha'bi said, "On the Day of Resurrection, two speakers will address the people. Allah the Exalted will say to 'Isa, son of Maryam,

{Did you say unto men : "Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?"} [5:116] until,

{Allah will say: "This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth."} [5:119]

Shaytan, may Allah curse him, will stand and address the people,

Quoted Scripture
"I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me."

Allah next mentioned the final destination of the miserable ones, who earned the disgrace and torment and having to listen to Shaytan address them, then He mentioned the final destination of the happy ones,

Quoted Scripture
"And those who believed and did righteous deeds, will be made to enter Gardens under which rivers flow,"

wherever they wish them to flow and wherever they may be,

{to dwell therein for ever,} and will never transfer or be transferred from it,

{with the permission of their Lord. Their greeting therein will be: "Salam (peace!)."} Allah said in other Ayat,

{Till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened and its keepers will say: "Salamun 'Alaykum (peace be upon you!)"} [39:73]

{And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying): "Salamun 'Alaykum (peace be upon you!)."} [13:23-24]

{Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect.} [25:75]

{Their way of request therein will be Subhanaka Allahumma (glory to you, O Allah) and Salam (peace!) will be their greetings therein (Paradise)! And the close of their request will be: Al-Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-'Alamin (all praise to Allah the Lord of that exists).} [10:10]

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.