Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-An'am -> The Devil's Inspiration

Allah said,

﴿وَإِنَّ الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ﴾

(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 الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ﴾

(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 الشَّيَـطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ﴾

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

﴿يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُوراً﴾

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

﴿لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ﴾

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

﴿وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ﴾

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

﴿لِيُجَـدِلُوكُمْ﴾

(...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,

﴿وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ﴾

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

﴿إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ﴾

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