(52–57) “We never sent before you any messenger or prophet except that, when he recited, Satan cast something into his recitation. But Allah abolishes what Satan casts, and then Allah makes His signs firm and clear. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. This is so that He may make what Satan casts a trial for those whose hearts are diseased and those whose hearts are hardened. Indeed, the wrongdoers are in far-reaching defiance. It is also so that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord, believe in it, and have their hearts humbly submit to Him. Indeed, Allah guides those who believe to a straight path. Those who disbelieve will continue to doubt it until the Hour comes upon them suddenly or the punishment of a barren day comes upon them.”
Allah Most High tells of His consummate wisdom and His choosing among His servants: before Muhammad, Allah never sent “any messenger or prophet except that, when he recited”—that is, when he delivered the recitation by which he reminded people and commanded and forbade them—“Satan cast something into his recitation.” That is, through his devices and schemes, Satan introduced something contrary to that recitation. Yet Allah Most High protected the messengers in what they conveyed from Him and safeguarded His revelation from being confused or mixed with anything else. This satanic interjection neither remains nor continues; it is merely a fleeting intrusion that arises and then vanishes. Even transient occurrences, however, have consequences. Hence He says, “But Allah abolishes what Satan casts”—that is, He removes it, causes it to disappear, invalidates it, and makes clear that it is not among His signs. “Then Allah makes His signs firm and clear”—that is, He perfects them, sets them forth with exactitude, and preserves them, so that they remain untainted by anything Satan casts. “Allah is Almighty”—that is, perfect in strength and power. By His perfect might, He preserves His revelation and removes what the devils cast. He is “All-Wise,” placing all things in their proper places. Part of His perfect wisdom is that He allowed the devils to make the aforementioned interjection so that what He describes would come to pass:
“This is so that He may make what Satan casts a trial” for two groups of people for whom Allah has no regard. The first are those “whose hearts are diseased”—that is, they are weak and lack complete faith and unwavering conviction. The slightest specious doubt that enters their hearts affects them. Thus, when they hear what Satan has cast, uncertainty and doubt enter them, and it becomes a trial for them.
The second are “those whose hearts are hardened”—that is, hearts so callous that neither admonition nor reminder affects them, and that, because of their hardness, do not understand what Allah and His Messenger convey. When they hear what Satan has cast, they make it an argument for their falsehood, dispute on its basis, and oppose Allah and His Messenger. Hence He says, “Indeed, the wrongdoers are in far-reaching defiance”—that is, they oppose Allah, stubbornly resist the truth, and contravene it, far removed from what is right. What Satan casts therefore becomes a trial for these two groups, exposing the wickedness concealed within their hearts.
As for the third group, it becomes a mercy for them. They are those mentioned in His words, “It is also so that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord.” Allah granted them knowledge by which they distinguish truth from falsehood and right guidance from error. They therefore differentiate between the two: the firmly established truth that Allah makes definitive, and the fleeting falsehood that Allah abolishes, recognizing the evidence borne by each. They also come to know that Allah is All-Wise and ordains certain kinds of trials to reveal the hidden qualities of both virtuous and wicked souls. “And believe in it” because of this; their faith increases when counterarguments and specious doubts are dispelled.
“And have their hearts humbly submit to Him”—that is, their hearts become humble and submissive and yield to His wisdom. This is part of His guidance to them. “Indeed, Allah guides those who believe,” by reason of their faith, “to a straight path”: knowledge of the truth and action in accordance with it. Thus Allah makes those who believe steadfast with the firm word in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. This is one form of Allah’s making His servant steadfast.
These verses explain that the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had a precedent in his fellow messengers regarding what occurred during his recitation—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—of Surat al-Najm. When he reached the words, “Have you considered al-Lāt and al-Uzzā, and Manāt, the third, the other?” Satan cast into his recitation: “Those are the exalted cranes, and indeed their intercession (1) is surely hoped for.” This caused the Messenger grief and subjected the people to a trial, as Allah mentioned, and so Allah revealed these verses.