Transliteration:( Wa izaa jaaa'ahum amrum minal amni awil khawfi azaa'oo bihee wa law raddoohu ilar Rasooli wa ilaaa ulil amri minhum la'alimahul lazeena yastambitoonahoo minhum; wa law laa fadlul laahi 'alaikum wa rahmatuhoo lattaba'tumush Shaitaana illaa qaleelaa )
“And when there comes to them some news of satisfaction or of fear, they spread it about [263]. But had they referred it to the Messenger and their men of authority, then surely they would have known its reality [264] from those who investigate and can draw conclusions [265]. And if there had been no bounty of Allah and His Mercy upon you, then surely you would have followed the devil, save a few of you [266].”
This refers to those simple and sincere Muslims who, due to lack of judgment, would spread every piece of news they heard—whether it brought hope or fear.
They were not aware of which information should be made public and which should be kept confidential.
From this, we learn that:
Publicizing every type of information can create unnecessary dissension and confusion among the people.
Discretion and wisdom are necessary before spreading any news.
The phrase "their men of authority" refers to the learned and wise Companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ—such as the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (Radiallahu Anhu), and others.
These were individuals of deep knowledge, insight, and judgment.
If the people had referred sensitive matters to them or to the Prophet ﷺ, they would have received correct and appropriate guidance.
This shows the importance of consulting scholars and leaders in religious and community matters.
From this, we learn a crucial principle:
The Qur’an must be referred to the learned jurists and scholars for proper understanding and application.
One must not rely on personal opinion or try to interpret deep religious texts obstinately, or they risk falling into error.
The Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith of the Prophet ﷺ are far more important than daily news, so if even news must be referred to the wise, religious matters certainly must be.
This verse also highlights that the grace of Allah protects sincere believers from falling into the traps of Shaytan.
From this, we understand that none of the noble Companions of the Prophet ﷺ ever went astray.
They were protected from the devil by the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty.
Though they were not all equal in rank, each had his own level of steadfastness and wisdom.
This refutes any claim that a Companion followed the devil, and confirms their collective righteousness and loyalty.
The tafsir of Surah Nisa verse 83 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nisa ayat 82 which provides the complete commentary from verse 82 through 83.
(4:83) Whenever they come upon any news bearing upon either security or causing consternation they go about spreading it, whereas if they were to convey it to either the Messenger or to those from among them who are entrusted with authority, it would come to the knowledge of those who are competent to investigate it.[112] But for Allah’s bounty and mercy upon you, (weak as you were) all but a few of you would surely have followed Satan.
112. This was a period of turbulence and upheaval and rumour was rife. Occasionally, baseless and exaggerated reports circulated and seized the whole of Madina and its outlying areas with alarm and consternation. At other times some cunning enemy tried to conceal the dangers threatening the Muslims by spreading soothing reports. A specially keen interest in rumours was taken by those who simply relished anything out of the ordinary, and who did not consider this life-and-death struggle between Islam and Ignorance to be a matter of crucial importance, and who were not aware of the far-reaching consequences of rumour-mongering. As soon as they heard something, they ran about spreading it everywhere. This rebuke is addressed to such people. They are warned against spreading rumours and are directed to convey every report they receive to responsible quarters.
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