Surah Saba 34:20
سُورَةُ سَبَإٍ · Meccan · Verse 20 of 54
وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُۥ فَٱتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِيقًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Translation
Satan was proved right in his opinion of them, for they all followed him- except for a group of believers-
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens a profound window into Iblis's influence over humanity, making a striking declaration about the vast majority of people.
Iblis's Assertion and Its Fulfillment
Allah states, "وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ" (And Iblis certainly proved his assumption true against them). The heart of this phrase lies in the word "صَدَّقَ" (saddaqa). This word can be read in two ways, both rich with meaning. One reading, "صدق" (sadaqa, with a light 'd'), means Iblis's "guess" or "assumption" (ظَنّ – zann) about humanity's weakness *proved accurate*. He had expected them to be easily misled, and indeed, they were. As Ibn Ashur explains, this is like his conjecture "hitting the mark."
The other prominent reading, "صدّق" (saddaqa, with a heavy 'd'), suggests Iblis himself "made his assumption true" or "realized it." This points to his active role and relentless effort. He wasn't just passively guessing; he worked hard through whisperings and temptations to ensure his dark prediction came to pass, as al-Zamakhshari notes.
The preposition "عَلَيْهِمْ" (alayhim, meaning "against them") further emphasizes Iblis's antagonistic posture. Ibn Ashur highlights that this implies a sense of "overcoming" or "prevailing over." Iblis's efforts were a hostile act against humanity, and he succeeded in gaining the upper hand over many.
The Path They Followed
The verse continues, "فَٱتَّبَعُوهُ" (so they followed him). The Arabic letter "فَاء" (fa) here denotes an immediate consequence. Because Iblis's assumption proved true, whether by accuracy or by his making it so, the vast majority of people swiftly followed his lead. This shows how readily they succumbed to his deception, turning away from the path of Allah.
The Believers' Exception
Yet, there is a crucial exception: "إِلَّا فَرِيقًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ" (except a group of the believers). While "فريق" (fareeq) simply means "a group," its use as an exception in this context implies that this group is small in comparison to the masses who followed Iblis. Both al-Zamakhshari and Ibn Ashur point to this sense of rarity.
This small "group of believers" represents those who remained firm in their faith. Al-Razi reminds us of Allah's promise that Iblis has no authority over His true servants. This highlights that steadfast belief in Allah provides a shield against Iblis's influence. It underscores the profound importance of genuine faith as the ultimate protection from misguidance, reminding us that even in the face of pervasive evil, a core of sincere believers will always remain true.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Saba 34:20 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Saba 34:20 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.