The reality of demons

 Here is the Tafseer (exegesis) of the verses from Surah Ash-Shu'ara (221-223):

Arabic Text:

1. هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَنْ تَنَزَّلُ الشَّيَاطِينُ

"Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?"

2. تَنَزَّلُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ

"They descend upon every sinful liar."

3. يُلْقُونَ السَّمْعَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ كَاذِبُونَ

"They pass on what they hear, but most of them are liars."

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Context:

These verses were revealed in Makkah in response to accusations made by the disbelievers against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They claimed that he was either a soothsayer or that devils inspired him with the Qur'an. Allah refutes these false claims by clarifying the nature of the devils and their association with evil.

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Key Points in Tafseer:

1. Who are the Devils?

Devils (Shayateen) are rebellious jinn who spread falsehood and misguide people.

They cannot access divine knowledge or revelations; instead, they listen to fragments of information from the heavens and distort it.

2. Who Do the Devils Descend Upon?

"Afak" refers to a person who fabricates lies.

"Atheem" refers to someone deeply immersed in sin.

This indicates that devils collaborate with people who are already inclined toward deception and immorality.

3. How Do They Spread Lies?

The devils overhear snippets of information (e.g., from angels or natural phenomena) and pass it on to their human allies.

These humans, such as fortune-tellers or magicians, mix a small amount of truth with a great deal of falsehood to mislead others.

4. Contrast with Prophethood:

The Qur'an emphasizes that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is neither a liar nor sinful, and thus devils have no connection with him.

Divine revelation comes only to pure and truthful individuals chosen by Allah.

5. Lying as a Habit:

The verse highlights that most of those who work with devils or are influenced by them are habitual liars. Their primary aim is to misguide and corrupt.

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Lessons from the Verse:

1. Truth vs. Falsehood:

This verse draws a clear distinction between divine guidance (truth) and the work of devils (falsehood). Prophets are trustworthy and free from sin, unlike the liars who collaborate with devils.

2. Warning Against Soothsayers:

Islam strongly condemns consulting soothsayers, astrologers, or magicians, as they often rely on lies and the influence of devils.

3. Reliance on Divine Revelation:

Muslims are encouraged to seek guidance from Allah's words (Qur'an) rather than from deceptive sources like fortune-tellers or false spiritual leaders.

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This Tafseer emphasizes Allah's protection of His message and the clear difference between the words of Allah and the deceitful fabrications of devils. If you'd like an explanation from a specific scholar's perspective, feel free to ask!