How It All Started: – || – An Enmity That Will Always Remain
In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
Said (God): ‘Iblis! What prevents you from bowing down to one whom I have created with My hands? Are you too proud, or do you deem yourself superior? Answered (Iblis): ‘I am better than he: You have created me out of fire but created him from clay.’ Said He: ‘Then get out from it: you are accursed; My rejection shall follow you until the Day of Judgment.’ Said (Iblis): ‘My Lord! Grant me a respite till Resurrection Day.’ Said He: ‘You are one of those granted respite till the day of the appointed time.’ (Iblis) then said: ‘I swear by Your very might: I shall certainly tempt them all except Your true servants.’ (And God) said: ‘This, then, is the truth! And the truth do I state: I will most certainly fill hell with you and such of them as shall follow you.’ Say: ‘No reward do I ask of you for this, and I am not one to claim what I am not. This is no less than a reminder to all the worlds, and in time you will certainly come to know its truth.’ (SAD: 38: 75-88)
We discussed how human life on earth started, and how Iblis, which is the Arabic name for Satan, refused to bow to Adam when God commanded him to do so. As a result, God questioned him about this and he gave the arrogant answer that he was better than Adam because the latter was created out of clay while he himself was created out of fire. Needless to say, no one can affront God with such arrogance and remain in a position of favor.
At this point, the divine order was issued expelling this rebellious creature: “Said He: Then get out from it: You are accursed; My rejection shall follow you until the Day of Judgment.” We cannot define the referent of the pronoun ‘it’. It could refer either to heaven, or to God’s grace. Both interpretations are possible. There needs to be no argument over this. In both cases the meaning is clear: Iblis was expelled and cursed as he incurred God’s displeasure by rebelling against His orders.
However, Iblis’s envy turned into a grudge and determination to avenge himself on Adam and his progeny: “Said (Iblis): My Lord! Grant me a respite till Resurrection Day.” God granted Iblis his request for some purpose, allowing him the chance he wanted: “Said He: You are one of those granted respite till the day of the appointed time.” Satan then revealed his goal which summed up his grudge: “(Iblis) then said: I swear by Your very might: I shall certainly tempt them all except Your true servants.” Thus Iblis defined his plan of action. He swore by the Lord of power that he would tempt all human beings, except those over whom he had no power. This was not a gesture of nobility on his part; but rather an acknowledgment of the uselessness of his efforts. Thus he told us about the barrier between him and those who are safe from, and immune to his temptation. It is their worship of God that makes them safe. This is in accordance with God’s design and will. God declares His will, defining the way ahead: “(And God) said: This, then, is the truth! And the truth do I state: I will most certainly fill hell with you and such of them as shall follow you.”
God always states the truth. The Qur’an repeatedly states this fact and re-emphasizes it in various ways. In this surah, there are several references to different aspects of the truth, such as the demand of the disputants who climbed the walls of David’s sanctuary that he should judge between them in fairness. The Arabic text adds clear connotations that the judgment should be made on the basis of truth. Similarly, the comments on David’s story refer to the creation of the heavens and the earth on the basis of the truth. Now, God Almighty reaffirms the truth, saying: “This, then, is the truth! And the truth do I state.” Thus, these references emphasize different aspects of the truth, but its nature is always the same. It includes this true promise: “I will most certainly fill hell with you and such of them as shall follow you.”
It is, then, a battle between Satan and Adam’s children: They go into it with full knowledge, aware of the consequences which are made clear in this true promise. They bear responsibility for their choices. Yet in His mercy, God has decided not to leave them without enlightenment. Therefore, he sent them His messengers to warn them.
At the end of the surah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is instructed to say his final word: “Say: No reward do I ask of you for this, and I am not one to claim what I am not. This is no less than a reminder to all the worlds, and in time you will certainly come to know its truth.”
It is a sincere call to them to save themselves when the warning has been given and fate has been shown. The caller, advocating the truth, plain and simple, makes no false claims or pretensions, demanding no reward from anyone. He orders nothing except what sound human nature readily endorses. He simply delivers a reminder to the world, since people may forget or choose to be oblivious. They may ignore the great message that has been delivered to them, but they will eventually come to know its truth. Indeed within a few years of receiving this address, the Arabs knew the truth of this message, and they will come to know it on Judgment Day, when God’s promise will be fulfilled: “I will most certainly fill hell with you and such of them as shall follow you.”
Thus, the ending of the surah is in full harmony with its beginning as also with the themes and issues it has tackled. It is given in a powerful note suggesting that what is to come is grave indeed: “In time you will certainly come to know its truth.”
– Commentary by Sayyid Qutb