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istaḥwadha ʿalayhimu sh-shayṭānu fa-ʾansāhum dhikra llāhi ʾulāʾika ḥizbu sh-shayṭāni ʾa-lā ʾinna ḥizba sh-shayṭāni humu l-khāsirūna
Satan has prevailed upon them, so he has caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. They are Satan’s confederates. Look! Indeed, it is Satan’s confederates who are the losers!
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Mujadila - Verse 19
19. Satan has overpowered them. Thus, he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Satan. Indeed, it is the party of Satan that will be the losers!
The more we neglect remembering God Almighty, the closer we will be to the party of Satan. Real loss lies in following Satan. The antecedent of the pronoun
are hypocrites overpowered by Satan such that they forget God Almighty and follow devils and concupiscent desires. It is incumbent upon believers to be aware that the hosts of Satan have incurred loss, namely they have wasted their precious lives. Satan works such that he absorbs men by steps, as it is reflected in 24:21:
It is mentioned elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an14 that:
At times, men follow Satan and he totally overpowers them. The blessed Verse is saying that the more we neglect remembering God Almighty, the closer we will be to the party of Satan. In this vein, two traditions have been narrated. It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as):
"Distinction between truth and falsehood does not entail evil consequence but confusion of the twain leads to seditions and Satan's conquest." 15
Imam Husayn (as) is reported as saying unto Yazid's hosts at Karbala’:
"Satan has overpowered you and made you forget remembrance of God Almighty …" 16
Footnotes