Volume 10 Surah 12 - 15 - Enjoy Islam

Ibrahīm (Abraham) | ONE MESSAGE FOR ALL MANKIND
powerful. Satan who was the constant whisperer, presenting every type of
temptation, turning people away from the voice of truth is now stabbing his
followers in the back. Now that matters have been settled, they cannot make any
counter attack. They cannot even reply to him. It is he who says now, after the issues
have been decided: “God has made you a true promise. I, too, made promises to you, but I
did not keep them.” (Verse 22) He goes on to rub it in, reproaching them for
responding to him when he had no power over them. It is they who gave themselves
up to him, forgetting all the old enmity between themselves and Satan. They
embraced his falsehood and abandoned the message of truth God had sent them.
“Yet I had no power at all over you, except that I called you and you responded to me.”
(Verse 22) He not only rebukes them, but calls on them to rebuke themselves for
having obeyed him: “Do not now blame me, but blame yourselves.” (Verse 22) He then
adds insult to injury, lets them down unashamedly, and declares that he wants
nothing further to do with them. Yet it was he who had previously given them all
sorts of rosy promises. He went on to tell them that no one could ever defeat them.
Now he will not even try to give them any support should they appeal to him for it,
nor will they help him when he cries out: “It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor
for you to respond to mine.” (Verse 22) There is no contact or relationship between us
now. He then absolves himself of their associating him as a partner with God. “I have
already disclaimed your associating me with God.” (Verse 22) He then finishes this
Satanic speech with a devastating blow directed at those who followed him in every
way: “Indeed for all wrongdoers there is grievous suffering in store.” (Verse 22)
This is what they receive from Satan, after they have followed him blindly into
error. This is what they get from him for having abandoned God’s messengers who
called on them to follow God’s guidance.
Before the curtains are drawn, we see on the other side the believers who have
won the battle against Satan, and who are now enjoying their success: “ Those who
believe and do righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens through which running waters
flow, wherein they will abide, by their Lord’s leave. Their greeting shall be: Peace.” (Verse
23) Thus the scene ends. This is the outcome of the whole story between the message
and its advocates on the one side and powerful tyrants who deny God and His
messengers on the other.
A Word to Strengthen the Believers
While the nature of the story is the same in every age, the believers who follow
God’s messengers stand in this world face to face against tyrannical ignorance, or
jāhiliyyah: “And they prayed for God’s help and victory [for the truth]. And every powerful,
obstinate enemy of the truth shall come to grief. Behind him stretches hell where he shall be
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