The Devil's Inspiration

Allah said,

﴿ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآٮِٕهِمۡ لِيُجَـٰدِلُوكُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends to dispute with you,) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Ishaq said that a man said to Ibn `Umar that Al-Mukhtar claimed that he received revelation. So Ibn `Umar said, "He has said the truth,'' and recited this Ayah,

﴿ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآٮِٕهِمۡ ﴾

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends...) Abu Zamil said, "I was sitting next to Ibn `Abbas at a time when Al-Mukhtar bin Abi `Ubayd was performing Hajj. So a man came to Ibn `Abbas and said, `O Ibn `Abbas! Abu Ishaq (Al-Mukhtar) claimed that he received revelation this night.' Ibn `Abbas said, He has said the truth.' I was upset and said, `Ibn `Abbas says that Al-Mukhtar has said the truth' Ibn `Abbas replied, `There are two types of revelation, one from Allah and one from the devil. Allah's revelation came to Muhammad , while the Shaytan's revelation comes to his friends.' He then recited,

﴿ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآٮِٕهِمۡ ﴾

(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends...) We also mentioned `Ikrimah's commentary on the Ayah,

﴿ يُوحِى بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬ زُخۡرُفَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ غُرُورً۬ا‌ۚ ﴾

(Inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.) Allah said next,

﴿ لِيُجَـٰدِلُوكُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾

(to dispute with you,) Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented;

﴿ وَلَا تَأۡڪُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمۡ يُذۡكَرِ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ ﴾

(Eat not of that on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned...) until,

﴿ لِيُجَـٰدِلُوكُمۡ‌ۖ ﴾

(...to dispute with you,) "The devils inspire their loyal supporters, `Do you eat from what you kill but not from what Allah causes to die''' As-Suddi said; "Some idolators said to the Muslims, `You claim that you seek Allah's pleasure. Yet, you do not eat what Allah causes to die, but you eat what you slaughter' Allah said,

﴿ وَإِنۡ أَطَعۡتُمُوهُمۡ ﴾

(and if you obey them...), and eat dead animals,

﴿ إِنَّكُمۡ لَمُشۡرِكُونَ ﴾

(then you would indeed be polytheists. ) Similar was said by Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and several others among scholars of the Salaf.