The Ocean of the Quran

A verse by verse explanation of The Ultimate Scripture

Al-Mujādilah – Verse 10

إِنَّمَا النَّجوىٰ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ لِيَحزُنَ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَلَيسَ بِضارِّهِم شَيئًا إِلّا بِإِذنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَليَتَوَكَّلِ المُؤمِنونَ

Indeed [malicious] secret talks are from Satan, that he may upset the faithful, but he cannot harm them in any way except by Allah’s leave, and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.

EXPOSITION

The secret talks mentioned in this verse, on the basis of the literary context, indicates that it is a reference to the secret counsels prevalent during those days between the hypocrites and the Jews, and which was the subject of the first half of verses 8 and 9. These secret talks were in favour of sin, transgression, and disobedience to the Apostle, and from the handiwork of Satan.‎[1] The relevant literary contextual evidence is where the verse says that the secret talks are from Satan, that he may upset the faithful,‎[2] while verses 8 and 9 have respectively made clear that secret conversations can be negative and positive, satanic and godly. Thus, when this verse identifies secret conversations as satanic it means the narrative is referring to the negative, ungodly, and satanic secret conversations. It was Satan who made secret talks alluring and attractive to the hearts of the hypocrites and the Jews so that he could use these secret talks as a means to cause grief to the believers, to confuse their hearts by rendering them anxious, and to deceive them into believing that the secret counsels were in regard to a calamity that was to befall them and a misfortune that was to afflict them.‎[3]

Then, God the glorified, soothed and pacified the hearts of the believers by reminding them that all matters lay in God’s control and that Satan,‎[4] or the secret talks,‎[5] or the grief,‎[6] would not harm them at all save by God’s permission. Therefore, they needed to place their trust in Him and not fear Satan’s harm‎[7] or that of the secret counsels or that of grief. Indeed, God has explicitly stated, And whoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him (65:3) in that He surely suffices whoever trusts Him. Furthermore, God motivates and encourages the believers to trust Him for that is from the requisites of the faith of the believers, and so if they were believers then let them place their trust in Him, and He would suffice them.‎[8] This is the meaning of the latter part of this verse that says, but he [Satan] cannot harm them in any way except by Allah’s leave, and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust, where he cannot harm them in any way except by Allah’s leave means: save with God’s knowledge‎[9] and with His bestowal of ability to them to effectuate that,‎[10] and His will,‎[11] and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust, meaning that it is imperative on the believers to trust God in all their affairs and not anyone other than Him,‎[12] and not pay attention to the secret conversations of the hypocrites and Jews.

There is no doubt that there is nothing in the realm of existence save that its effect and influence is conditional on God’s will and intent. This belief sows the seed of trust and confidence in the hearts and souls of believers and distances or protects them from satanic whisperings and doubts. Therefore, it is for the believer to act and to struggle and to gather provisions against Satan and his whisperings whilst relying on God, for He will surely aid him in all matters small and big, and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.‎[13]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

An alternative understanding of Indeed [malicious] secret talks are from Satan, that he may upset the faithful is that it refers to bad dreams seen during sleep which distress the dreamer,‎[14] which means the term al-najwā mentioned in this verse and identified as satanic, is understood to mean satanic whisperings and doubts that a person may experience in the form of dreams during sleep. It appears this understanding is a secondary one. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) is reported to have counselled: ‘If a man from among you sees in his dream that which distresses him then let him move away from the side [of the bed] where he was sleeping, and let him recite this verse till the part where it says … except by Allah’s leave. Then let him say: “I have sought refuge with what the close angels of God, His prophets sent as messengers, and His virtuous slaves sought refuge with, from the evil of what I saw and from the evil of Satan, the outcast.”’‎[15] 

[1] Mizan, 19/187; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[2] Tabrisi.J, 4/259; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[3] Mizan, 19/187; Tibyan, 9/549; Safi, 5/146; Tabrisi.J, 4/259.
[4] Mizan, 19/188; Safi, 5/146; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[5] Mizan, 19/188; Safi, 5/146; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[6] Tabrisi.J, 4/259.
[7] Mizan, 19/188.
[8] Mizan, 19/188.
[9] Tibyan, 9/549; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[10] Tibyan, 9/549.
[11] Safi, 5/146.
[12] Tibyan, 9/549; Tabrisi, 9/378.
[13] Munyah, 28/67.
[14] Tabrisi, 9/378.
[15] Daqaiq, 13/136.