Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

48. “And (remember) when Satan made their deeds fair seeming to them and said: ‘Today none of people shall overcome you, and I will be a protector for you.’ But when the two hosts sighted each other, he turned upon his heels, and said: ‘Indeed I am quit of you. Verily I see what you do not see. Surely I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in retribution’.”

Here, in this verse, another scene of the Battle of Badr, which happened on the day of war, has been illustrated.

At first, it implies that on that day, Satan made their deeds Seem decorous to them, so that they would think of their actions optimistically and became encouraged by them. The verse says:

“And (remember) when Satan made their deeds fair seeming to them...”

Satan's decoration is such that, by the way of stimulating lusts, desires, and indecent qualities in him, he makes the feature of man's actions so fair seeming to his eyes that he will terribly be attracted to it. Satan tempts them that today they have so many fighters with a lot of arms, so much so that none of people can overcome them, and they are an undefeating army. The verse says:

“...and said: ‘Today none of people shall overcome you...”

Then Satan adds that besides that, he is also their neighbor and so near to them that, at the necessary time, like a faithful sympathetic neighbor, he will withhold no support from them. The verse continues saying:,

“...and I will be a protector for you.'...”

But when the two armies encountered each other and the angels came to help the army of Unity, the infidels observed the power and steadfastness of the Muslims. Then, Satan turned back and shouted at them, saying that he hated them (the infidels). The verse says:

“...But when the two hosts sighted each other, he turned upon his heels, and said:, Indeed I am quit of you...”

Satan brought forth two reasons for his awful turning, back. The first reason was that he said:

“...Verily I see what you do not see...”

By this phrase, Satan meant that he saw the signs of triumph in the features of the believing Muslims, as well as the effects of Allah’s support and angels' helps among them.

Satan added another thing, saying that he was afraid of the painful punishment of Allah in the scene which he saw very near. The verse says:

“...surely I fear Allah...”

Allah's punishment is not such a simple thing that anybody can resist before it, but it is certain that His retribution is sharp and severe. The verse says:

“...and Allah is severe in retribution '.”