Juz 25: Fuṣṣilat 47 to Al-Jāthiyah
Section 13 of 20 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Consequences of Abandoning Allah's Remembrance | Verses: Az-Zukhruf 43:36-39
One of the most profound warnings in Surah Az-Zukhruf comes in verse 36, where Allah reveals the spiritual danger that accompanies the neglect of divine remembrance:
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ
“And whoever turns himself away from the remembrance of the Rahman (the All-Merciful), We assign for him a devil who becomes his intimate companion.”
This verse presents a terrifying reality: when a person distances themselves from the remembrance of Allah, a void is created that becomes filled by satanic influence. The word "ya'shu" conveys the sense of becoming blind to or deliberately turning away from the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah. For such a person, Allah designates (nuqayyid) a devil that becomes an inseparable companion (qareen).
This intimate companionship with Shaytan has devastating consequences, as the next verse explains:
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
“And surely, they prevent them from the way (of guidance) while they think that they are on the right path.”
The most dangerous aspect of this satanic companionship is that it creates a false sense of guidance. These devils divert people from the straight path while making them believe they are correctly guided. This deception is the ultimate spiritual catastrophe - being misled while assuming one is following the truth.
For those who realize their error too late, the Day of Judgment will bring bitter regret:
حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَنَا قَالَ يَا لَيْتَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ بُعْدَ الْمَشْرِقَيْنِ فَبِئْسَ الْقَرِينُ
“Until when such a person comes to Us, he says (to the devil), 'Would that there were the distance of the East and West between me and you, for you were the worst companion!'”
On the Day of Judgment, the person will wish to be as distant as possible from this satanic companion - "the distance of the two Easts" (bu'dal mashriqayn), which refers to the maximum possible separation, like the distance between the east and west. Yet this realization comes too late, after a lifetime of being led astray.
The final verdict in this passage reminds us that regret on the Day of Judgment brings no relief:
وَلَن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ إِذ ظَّلَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُشْتَرِكُونَ
“And it will never benefit you today, as you had been unjust, that you are sharing the punishment with each other.”
The shared punishment of the human and the devil who misled them offers no consolation. Justice demands that both suffer the consequences of their actions.
These verses emphasize the critical importance of maintaining a consistent regimen of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Dhikr serves as a spiritual protection against satanic influences. Without this protective shield, one becomes vulnerable to deception, gradually moving away from guidance while believing they remain on the correct path.
The remedy is clear: establish regular dhikr in our lives. This can be as simple