Surah Fatir Notes (6-8)

Source: Ibn Kathir

(6) Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

(Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy.) meaning, `he has declared his enmity towards you, so be even more hostile towards him, oppose him and do not believe the things with which he tries to tempt you.'

(He only invites his followers that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.) means, `he only wants to misguide you so that you will enter the blazing Fire with him.' This is a manifest enemy, and we ask Allah, the All-Powerful and Almighty to make us enemies of Shaytan and to make us followers of the Book of Allah and of the way of His Messengers. For He is able to do whatever He wills and He will respond to all supplication. 

This is like the Ayah:

(And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.'' So they prostrated themselves except Iblis. He was one of the Jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers.) (18:50)

The Punishment of the Disbeliever and the Reward of the Believer on the Day of Resurrection

(7) Those who disbelieve, theirs will be a severe torment; and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).

Having stated that the ultimate destiny of the followers of Iblis will be the blazing Fire, Allah then tells us that for those who disbelieve there will be a severe punishment. This is because they obeyed the Shaytan and disobeyed Ar-Rahman. And He tells us that those who believed in Allah and His Messengers

(and do righteous good deeds, theirs will be forgiveness) meaning, from whatever sins they did,

and a great reward. for the good deeds that they did. 

(8) Is he, then, to whom the evil of his deeds made fair seeming, so that he considers it as good (equal to one who is rightly guided)? Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So destroy not yourself (O Muhammad SAW) in sorrow for them. Truly, Allah is the AllKnower of what they do!

(Is he, then, to whom the evil of his deeds is made fair seeming, so that he considers it as good) meaning, `such as disbelievers or immoral persons who do evil deeds and believe that they are doing something good, i.e., a person who is like that has been misguided by Allah, so what can you do for him You cannot help him at all.'

(Verily, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.) means according to His decree.

(So destroy not yourself in sorrow for them. ) means, do not grieve about that, for Allah is Wise in His decree and He leaves astray whomsoever He leaves astray, and He guides whomsoever He guides, and in doing so He has perfect knowledge and wisdom. Allah says:

(Truly, Allah is the All-Knower of what they do!)