Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 48

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When the Satan made their deeds look beautiful to their eyes, and said, “None of the people can overpower you today, and I am a protector for you.” But, when the two groups faced each other, he turned back on his heels and said, “I am quit of you. I am seeing what you do not see. I am scared of Allah, and Allah is severe in punishment.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember˺ when Satan made their ˹evil˺ deeds appealing to them, and said, “No one can overcome you today. I am surely by your side.” But when the two forces faced off, he cowered and said, “I have absolutely nothing to do with you. I certainly see what you do not see. I truly fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when Satan made their misdeeds appealing to them, and said, “No one can overcome you today, and I am your protector.” But when the two armies faced each other, he turned on his heels and said, “I have nothing to do with you, for I see what you do not see. I surely fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.”

A. J. Arberry

And when Satan decked out their deeds fair to them, and said, 'Today no man shall overcome you, for I shall be your neighbour.' But when the two hosts sighted each other, he withdrew upon his heels, saying, 'I am quit of you; for I see what you do not see. I fear God; and God is terrible in retribution.'

Abdul Haleem

Satan made their foul deeds seem fair to them, and said, ‘No one will conquer you today, for I will be right beside you,’ but when the armies came within sight of one another he turned on his heels, saying, ‘This is where I leave you: I see what you do not, and I fear God- God is severe in His punishment.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time the Satan made their works fair- seeming unto them and said: there is none of mankind to overcome you to- day, and verily I am your neighbour. Then when the two parties faced each other, he turned on his heels, and said: verily I am quit of you, verily I behold that which ye behold not; verily I fear Allah: and Allah severe in retribution.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them, and said; "No one among men can overcome you this day, while I am near to you"; But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, and said; "Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; Lo! I fear Allah; for Allah is strict in punishment."

Abul Ala Maududi

And recall when Satan made their works seem fair to them and said: 'None shall overcome you today. and I am your supporter.' But when the two armies faced each other, he turned on his heels, and said: 'Surely I am quit of you for I behold that which you do not. Indeed I fear Allah, and Allah is stern in punishment.'

Ahmed Ali

Satan made their deeds look alluring to them, and said: "None will prevail over you this day, for I shall be near at hand." Yet when the two armies appeared face to face, he turned back and fled, saying: "I am not with you, for I can see what you cannot perceive. I fear God, for His punishment is severe."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when Satan made their deeds seem good in their sight and said, “This day no one can overpower you, and you are under my protection”; so when the two armies came face to face, he scrambled back and said, “I am unconcerned with you – I can see what is not visible to you – I fear Allah”; and Allah’s punishment is severe.

Ali Quli Qarai

When Satan made their deeds seem decorous to them, and said [to the faithless], ‘No one shall overcome you today from among all mankind, and I will stand by you.’ But when the two hosts sighted each other, he took to his heels, saying, ‘Indeed I am quit of you. I see what you do not see. Indeed I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in retribution.’

Ali Ünal

Satan decked out their deeds to be appealing to them, and said: "Today no power among humankind can overcome you, and for sure I am your supporter." But when the two hosts came within sight of each other, he turned on his heels to run away and said: "Indeed I am quit of you; surely I see that which you do not see. Indeed, I fear God." And God is severe in retribution.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (recall the time) when satan made their deeds fair-seeming to them and said, `Today none among the people shall overpower you, for surely, I am your protecting helper.´ But when the two hosts came face to face with each other, he (- satan) retraced his steps and said, `Surely I have nothing to do with you, I see that which you do not see. I am surely afraid of Allâh, for Allâh is Severe in requital.´

English Literal

And when the devil decorated/beautified for them their works/deeds , and he said: "No defeater/conqueror from the people for you today and that I am a savior/rescuer for you." So when the two groups saw each other, he returned/withdrew on his two heels, and he said: "That I am innocent/renouncing/separating from you, that I, I see/understand what you do not see/understand, that I, I fear God, and God (is) strong (severe) in the punishment."

Faridul Haque

And when Satan made their deeds seem good in their sight and said, "This day no one can overpower you, and you are under my protection"; so when the two armies came face to face, he scrambled back and said, "I am unconcerned with you - I can see what is not visible to you - I fear Allah"; and Allah’s punishment is severe.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when Satan made their works appear seemly to them, and said, "There is none amongst mankind to conquer you to-day, for, verily, I am near you." But when the two armies came in sight of each other, he turned upon his heels (took flight) and said, "Verily, I am clear of you! Verily, I see what you see not! Verily, I fear Allah, for Allah is strict (or severe) in punishment!"

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when Shaitan (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you this Day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbour (for each and every help)." But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily! I see what you see not. Verily! I fear Allah for Allah is Severe in punishment."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And be not like those who came forth from their homes exultingly and to be seen of men, and they hinder (people) from he way of Allah. And Allah encompasses what they do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when the Shaitan made their works fair seeming to them, and said: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector: but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, surely I see what you do not see, surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and said: No-one of mankind can conquer you this day, for I am your protector. But when the armies came in sight of one another, he took flight, saying: Lo! I am guiltless of you. Lo! I see that which ye see not. Lo! I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in punishment.

Muhammad Sarwar

Satan made their (pagans') deeds seem attractive to them and said to them, "No one today is more powerful than you and I am your supporter." But when the two armies confronted one another and the pagans were defeated, then satan betrayed his friends saying, "I am not with you any more; I see what you do not see and I am afraid of God." God is severe in His retribution.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when satan made their foul deeds seem fair to them. He said: 'No one shall conquer you this day. I shall be your savior' But when the two armies came within sight of each other, he took to his heels, saying: 'I reject you, for I can see what you cannot. I fear Allah, Allah is Stern in retribution'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you this day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbor (for each and every help)." But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah for Allah is severe in punishment."

Wahiduddin Khan

Satan made their deeds seem fair to them and said, "None of the people shall prevail against you this day; I shall be your protector!" But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, saying, "This is where I leave you: I see what you do not, and I fear God -- God is severe in His punishment."

Talal Itani

Satan made their deeds appear good to them, and said, “You cannot be defeated by any people today, and I am at your side.” But when the two armies came in sight of one another, he turned on his heels, and said, “I am innocent of you; I see what you do not see; I fear God; God is severe in punishment.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, that Satan, Ibls, adorned their deeds for them, by encouraging them [to go] to meet the Muslims, when they had feared to set out on account of their enemy, the Ban Bakr, and said, to them; `Today no person shall overcome you, for I shall be your protector', from among the [Ban] Kinna -- he appeared to them in the form of Surqa b. Mlik, the chieftain of that region. But when the two armies, the Muslims and the disbelievers, sighted each other, [when] they met and he [Satan] saw the angels, his hand clasping that of al-Hrith b. Hishm, he turned his back, he withdrew, in flight, saying -- when they had said to him, `Are you abandoning us in such a predicament?', `I am quit of you, of being your protector, for I see what you do not see, in the way of angels. I fear God, lest He destroy me; and God is severe in retribution'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ

And (remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor."
Shaytan, may Allah curse him, made the idolators' purpose for marching seem fair to them. He made them think that no other people could defeat them that day. He also ruled out the possibility that their enemies, the tribe of Bani Bakr, would attack Makkah, saying, "I am your neighbor."
Shaytan appeared to them in the shape of Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, the chief of Bani Mudlij, so that, as Allah described them,

يَعِدُهُمْ وَيُمَنِّيهِمْ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمْ الشَّيْطَـنُ إِلاَّ غُرُوراً

He (Shaytan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but deceptions. (4;120)

فَلَمَّا تَرَاءتِ الْفِيَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّنكُمْ

But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said;"Verily, I have nothing to do with you.

Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn Abbas commented on this Ayah,

"On the day of Badr, Shaytan, as well as, his flag holder and soldiers, accompanied the idolators. He whispered to the hearts of the idolators, `None can defeat you today! I am your neighbor.' When they met the Muslims and Shaytan witnessed the angels coming to their aid,
نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ
(he ran away), he went away in flight while proclaiming,
إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ
(Verily, I see what you see not)."

Ali bin Abi Talhah said, that Ibn Abbas said about this Ayah,
لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَّكُمْ
(No one of mankind can overcome you today and verily, I am your neighbor),

"Shaytan, as well as, his devil army and flag holders, came on the day of Badr in the shape of a Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum, man from Bani Mudlij, Shaytan said to idolators, `None will defeat you this day, and I will help you.'

When the two armies stood face to face, the Messenger of Allah took a handful of sand and threw it at the faces of the idolators, causing them to retreat.

Jibril, peace be upon him, came towards Shaytan, but when Shaytan, while holding the hand of a Mushrik man, saw him, he withdrew his hand and ran away with his soldiers. That man asked him, `O Suraqah! You claimed that you are our neighbor!' He said,

إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّيَ أَخَافُ اللّهَ وَاللّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ



Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah for Allah is severe in punishment.
Shaytan said this when he saw the angels."
The Position of the Hypocrites in Badr

Allah said next