Fatir · Makki · ayah 8 of 45

Fatir 35:8

أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ فَرَءَاهُ حَسَنًا ۖ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

“Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, Allāh sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what they do.”

Saheeh International

Essence

One who sees his evil as good is unlike the guided; guidance is Allah's, so let no grief wear your soul away.

A reflection

Guidance is not a trophy

This ayah is addressed to the Prophet ﷺ himself. He was the clearest teacher, the most patient caller and the most sincere well-wisher who ever lived. And he is told: Allah leaves astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills.

If guidance were a product of eloquence, he would have won over everyone. He did not, and it was not his failure. One commentary draws the line plainly. Guiding them belongs to Allah, not to you. What belongs to you is delivering the message.

Here the ego shrinks. A volunteer runs a leaflet stall in a city centre every Saturday. He keeps a tally on a small whiteboard: how many people have declared their faith at his table. The number grows. Without noticing, he begins to think of them as his. Then a man he spent months with walks away from Islam. The volunteer is crushed, and also secretly ashamed, as if his score has dropped.

The ayah takes the whiteboard away. You never guided anyone. You carried a lamp. The One who opened their eyes is the only One who could.

The same humility applies to your own faith. You did not reason your way into guidance as a prize for intelligence. It was given. The person whose evil looks good to him is not simply less clever than you. He is someone you might have been, but for a gift.

Does Allah need to announce His power over hearts? He loses nothing if no one acknowledges it. The announcement is for us. It frees the caller from pride when people respond, and from despair when they do not. And the ayah closes gently: inna Allāha ʿalīmun bi-mā yaṣnaʿūn. He knows every heart's work completely. You do not have to.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.