Surah 24:21

"You who believe! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Whoever follows the footsteps of Satan – surely he commands (what is) immoral and wrong. If (it were) not (for the) favor of God on you, and His mercy, not one of you would ever have been pure. God purifies whomever He pleases. God is hearing, knowing."

Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (59)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir Verses 24:20-21

Show Full Scripture Context (24:20-21) — 2 Verses

Verse 20

وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ

If (it were) not (for the) favor of God on you, and His mercy, and that God is kind, compassionate [. . .].

Verse 21

۞يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعۡ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِۚ وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ أَبَدٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٞ

You who believe! Do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Whoever follows the footsteps of Satan – surely he commands (what is) immoral and wrong. If (it were) not (for the) favor of God on you, and His mercy, not one of you would ever have been pure. God purifies whomever He pleases. God is hearing, knowing.

kindness towards His servants and Merciful towards them. He accepts the repentance of those who repent to Him from this sin, and purifies those among them who are purified by the prescribed punishment carried out on them. Then Allah says:

Quoted Scripture

"O you who believe! Follow not the Khutuwat of Shaytan."

meaning, his ways and paths and what he commands.

Quoted Scripture

"And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaytan, then, verily, he commands immorality and the evil deeds."

This is a warning given in the most concise and eloquent manner. ‘Ali bin Abi Talhah recorded from Ibn ‘Abbas that

{the Khutuwat of Shaytan} means his deeds. Ikrimah said that it means his evil whispers. Qatadah said: “Every sin is one of the footsteps of Shaytan.” Abu Mijlaz said: “Vowing to commit sin is one of the footsteps of Shaytan.” Then Allah says:

Quoted Scripture

"And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins."

meaning, if He did not help whomever He wills to repent and come back to Him and be purified from Shirk, evil and sin, and whatever bad characteristics each person has according to his nature, no one would ever attain purity and goodness.

{But Allah purifies whom He wills} means, among His creation, and He sends astray whomever He wills, leaving him to be doomed in his misguidance and sin.

{and Allah is All-Hearer,} means, He hears what His servants say,

{All-Knower} of who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be misguided.

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.

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