Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 20

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Iblīs (Satan)has found his assessment true about them. So they followed him, except a group of the believers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, Iblîs’ assumption about them has come true,[[ Iblîs was the name of Satan before his fall from grace (see footnote for {2:33}). His assumption (or vow) was that he could easily mislead the majority of people (see {7:16}-17, {15:39}-40, and {38:82}-83). ]] so they ˹all˺ follow him, except a group of ˹true˺ believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Satan found his assumption about them to be true, for they followed him, except for a group of the believers,

A. J. Arberry

Iblis proved true his opinion of them, and they followed him, except a party of the believers.

Abdul Haleem

Satan was proved right in his opinion of them, for they all followed him- except for a group of believers-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly Iblis found his conjecture true concerning them; and they followed him all save a party of the believers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And on them did Satan prove true his idea, and they followed him, all but a party that believed.

Abul Ala Maududi

Iblis found his estimate of them to be true, and they followed him, except a party of the believers.

Ahmed Ali

Thus Iblis found his supposition about them to be true; and except for a section of believers they follow him.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed Iblis made his assumptions regarding them seem true, so they all followed him except the group of Muslims.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly Iblis had his conjecture come true about them. So they followed him—all except a part of the faithful.

Ali Ünal

Iblis certainly found his conjecture (about humankind) true in what they (the people of Sheba) did. (He called them, and) they followed him, all but a group of true believers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And Iblîs found that he judged regarding them correctly, (that he would be successful in leading the progeny of Adam astray,) excepting (only) a party of true believers, so (all) the rest of the people followed him;

English Literal

And Satan , his assumption/thought had been truthful on them, so they followed him except a group/party from the believers.

Faridul Haque

And indeed Iblis made his assumptions regarding them seem true, so they all followed him except the group of Muslims.

Hamid S. Aziz

And they said, "O our Lord! Make the spaces longer between our journeys.". They were unjust to themselves (wronged themselves) so We made them as stories (by words, legends) and dispersed them with an utter scattering; most surely there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one.

Hilali & Khan

And indeed Iblis (Satan) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers (in the Oneness of Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But they said: Our Lord, make longer stages between our journeys. And they wronged themselves; so We made them stories and scattered them a total scattering. Surely there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly the Shaitan found true his conjecture concerning them, so they follow him, except a party of the believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And Satan indeed found his calculation true concerning them, for they follow him, all save a group of true believers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Iblis (satan) made his judgment about them to come true. They all followed them except a believing group among them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

iblis' made his guess true to them; and all except for a party of believers followed him.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Satan was correct in his assessment of them and they all followed him, except for a band of true believers,

Talal Itani

Satan was correct in his assessment of them. They followed him, except for a group of believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily Ibls proved true (read sadaqa or saddaqa) his opinion of them, that is, of the disbelievers among them -- [the folk of] Sheba -- which was that by his tempting them to go astray, they would follow him. So they followed him ([if the verb above is read] sadaqa, this would mean that `he was right in his opinion', and [if read] saddaqa, it would mean that `he found this [opinion of his] to be true') -- [all] except a group of the believers (mina'l-mu'minna, [the min, `of'] is explicative [not partitive], in other words, [all except that group] who were the believers; they did not follow him).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

How Iblis' thought about the Disbeliever proved True

Having mentioned Saba' and how they followed their desires, and the Shaytan, Allah tells us about their counterparts among those who follow Iblis and their own desires, and who go against wisdom and true guidance.

Allah says;

وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ

And indeed Iblis did prove true his thought about them,

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and others said that this Ayah is like the Ayah where Allah tells us about how Iblis refused to prostrate to Adam, peace be upon him, then said;

أَرَءَيْتَكَ هَـذَا الَّذِى كَرَّمْتَ عَلَىَّ لَيِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ لَاحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ إَلاَّ قَلِيلً

See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring all but a few! (17;62)

ثُمَّ لاتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَأيِلِهِمْ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـكِرِينَ

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones. (7;17)

And there are many Ayat which refer to this matter.

فَاتَّبَعُوهُ إِلاَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ



and they followed him, all except a group of true believers