Surah 22

Surah 22:8

"Yet among the people (there is) one who disputes about God without any knowledge or guidance or illuminating Book,"
Clarifying the State of the Leaders of the Innovators and Those Who lead People astray Verses 22:8-10
Show Full Scripture Context (22:8-10) — 3 Verses
Verse 8

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَٰدِلُ فِي ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَلَا هُدٗى وَلَا كِتَٰبٖ مُّنِيرٖ

Yet among the people (there is) one who disputes about God without any knowledge or guidance or illuminating Book,

Verse 9

ثَانِيَ عِطۡفِهِۦ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ لَهُۥ فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا خِزۡيٞۖ وَنُذِيقُهُۥ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ عَذَابَ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ

(who) turns away in scorn to lead (people) astray from the way of God. For him (there is) disgrace in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall make him taste the punishment of the burning (Fire):

Verse 10

ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاكَ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيۡسَ بِظَلَّـٰمٖ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ

‘That is for what your (own) hands have sent forward, and (know) that God is not an evildoer to (His) servants.’

Allah has already told us about the ignorant imitators who are led astray:

Quoted Scripture
"And among mankind is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge, and follows every rebellious Shaytan."

And here He tells us about those who call others to misguidance, the leaders of disbelief and innovation:

Quoted Scripture
"And among men is he who disputes about Allah, without knowledge or guidance, or a Book giving light (from Allah)."

meaning, with no correct rational thought, and no clear transmitted text; what they say is based only on their opinions and whims.

Allah's saying,

{Bending his neck in pride,} Ibn 'Abbas and others said, "Too proud to follow the truth when he is called to it."

Mujahid, Qatadah and Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam:

{Bending his neck in pride,} means, twisting his neck, i.e., turning away from the truth to which he is called, bending his neck out of pride and arrogance. This is like the Ayat:

{And in Musa, when We sent him to Fir'awn with a manifest authority. But (Fir'awn) turned away along with his hosts} [51:38-39],

{And when it is said to them: "Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger," you see the hypocrites turn away from you with aversion.} [4:61],

{And when it is said to them: "Come, so that the Messenger of Allah may ask forgiveness from Allah for you," they twist their heads, and you would see them turning away their faces in pride.} [63:5],

And Luqman said to his son:

{And turn not your face away from men with pride} [31:18]

meaning, do not turn away from them in an arrogant manner. And Allah says:

{And when Our verses are recited to him, he turns away in pride} [31:7],

Quoted Scripture
"and leading (others) too (far) astray from the path of Allah."

This either refers to those who are stubborn, or it means that the person who does this has been created like this so that he will be one of those who lead others astray from the path of Allah. Then Allah says:

Quoted Scripture
"For him there is disgrace in this worldly life,"

meaning, humiliation and shame, such as when he is too arrogant to heed the signs of Allah, so Allah will send humiliation upon him in this world and will punish him in this world, before he reaches the Hereafter, because this world is all he cares about and all he knows.

Quoted Scripture
"and on the Day of Resurrection We shall make him taste the torment of burning. That is because of what your hands have sent forth,"

means, this will be said to him by way of rebuke.

Quoted Scripture
"and verily, Allah is not unjust to the servants."

This is like the Ayah:

{(It will be said:) "Seize him and drag him into the midst of blazing Fire, Then pour over his head the torment of boiling water. Taste you (this)! Verily, you were (pretending to be) the mighty, the generous! Verily, this is that whereof you used to doubt!"} [44:47-50]

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 6, Page 531-533)

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.