An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 76 of 176

An-Nisa 4:76

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ فَقَـٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيْدَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا

“Those who believe fight in the cause of Allāh, and those who disbelieve fight in the cause of ṭāghūt.[198] So fight against the allies of Satan. Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak.”

Saheeh International

Essence

Every struggle runs on one of two roads, Allah's or tyranny's, and the plotting of Satan, however laboured, has always been weak.

A reflection

The weakness changes sides

Read this ayah straight after the one before it, and a single root links them.

In 4:75 the believers in Makkah were al-mustaḍʿafīn: those made weak, held down and humiliated. Now 4:76 closes with the same root. Inna kayda al-shayṭāni kāna ḍaʿīfā: the plotting of Satan has always been weak.

The word for weakness has changed sides. The people the oppressors tried to weaken are not the truly weak ones. The real weakness lies in the scheme ranged against them.

One classical commentator explains why that scheme is weak. Those who fight for tyranny, he says, hope for no reward and fear no reckoning. They are driven by tribal zeal, or by envy. The believer acts with clear sight of what awaits him with Allah, whatever happens. The other acts in dread of death, with no hope beyond it. Such a person, however loud, is hollow inside.

Another commentator puts it more starkly. Set beside Allah's plan, Satan's plot is the flimsiest and weakest thing there is.

Picture a Year 8 class where one boy has ruled for a term by mockery. Everyone laughs at his jokes, because everyone is afraid to be next. Then one Tuesday, three classmates simply stop laughing. Nobody says anything. By Friday, the power has drained out of him. It had only ever been borrowed from other people's fear.

Much of what frightens us works the same way. It looks strong because we have lent it our fear. The ayah takes the loan back. The ones made weak are not weak. The thing that weakened them is.

What are you treating as strong only because you have been afraid of it?

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.