سورة الأعراف

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the word of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ [When a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they see]. He said: "He is a servant who intends a sin; then he is reminded by Allah and refrains. So this is His word [where He says]: تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ [they become mindful, then lo! they see]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is the sin — whenever the servant is reminded of it, he abandons it.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It refers to the servant who sets his mind on a sin, then becomes mindful and withholds his hand from the sin.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ali ibn Hamza said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "What is meant by al-ta'if (the visitation) in this verse: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا [Surely those who guard against evil, when a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful]?" He said: "It is the evil deed which a servant wants to carry out, but before the act he becomes mindful and gains insight and refrains from it."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Among the hardest things the servants must do are: a person being fair from himself, a man's sympathy with his [believing] brother, and remembering Allah in every state." I said: "May Allah reward you with good; what is the reality of remembering Allah in every state?" He said: "When one is about to commit a sin, he remembers Allah, and if he is close to being tainted by it, the remembrance of Allah comes as a barrier between him and that sin. This is the word of Allah the Exalted: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُون [Surely those who guard against evil, when a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they see]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): The believer is required to strive against his own soul so as to overcome it in its desires. At times, through struggle, he restrains its deviation and opposes its desires for the sake of Allah's love; and at times his soul throws him down and he follows its desires. Then Allah takes his hand and raises him up, and he rises again. Allah overlooks his slip and he too becomes mindful and turns to repentance, fear and awe — and this causes his insight and understanding to increase, because his fear has increased. For Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُون [Surely those who guard against evil, when a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they see].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): إِنَّ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُون [Surely those who guard against evil, when a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they see] — that is, when Satan reminds them of sins and drives them towards them, they remember Allah and mention His name and become seeing.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): So, O people! Beware of the sins that Allah has forbidden you and warned you against in His truthful Book and speaking discourse, and do not feel secure from the plan of Allah and His warning and threat when the accursed Satan invites you to the immediate lusts and pleasures of this world. For Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: إِنَّ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا إِذا مَسَّهُمْ طائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّیْطانِ تَذَکَّرُوا فَإِذا هُمْ مُبْصِرُون [Surely those who guard against evil, when a visitation from Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they see]. Place the fear of Allah in your hearts, and remember the beautiful rewards which Allah has promised you upon your return to Him, and the severe punishments of which He has warned you. Whoever fears something avoids it, and whoever avoids something abandons it.