Seeking protection when Satan provokes
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ نَزْغٌ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ
wa-immā yanzagannaka mina l-shayṭāni nazghun fa-istaʿidh bi-llāhi — And if a provocation from Satan should indeed provoke you, then seek protection with Allah
Two verses carry the same conditional instruction to seek protection with God when Satan provokes, but close it differently: an indefinite attribute pair in (7:200) and a pronoun plus definite attribute pair in (41:36).
The two verses are identical from the conditional opening through the command to seek protection: وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ نَزْغٌ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ (7:200, 41:36). The Arabic diverges only in the closing clause. In (7:200) the clause is إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ, "surely He is Hearing, Knowing," with the two attributes indefinite. In (41:36) it is إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ, "surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing," where the pronoun هُوَ intervenes and both attributes take the definite article. The word data marks the opening وَإِمَّا as conditional (COND) in (7:200) and exclamatory (EXL) in (41:36), a further difference in how the particle is analyzed. The contexts differ in addressee and setting. In (7:200) the verse stands between a command to turn away from the ignorant (7:199) and a statement about the mindful who, when a circling impulse from Satan touches them, recollect and see clearly (7:201), so the instruction sits within a sequence addressed to a single second-person figure. In (41:36) it follows a statement that none is made to receive it except those who endure (41:35) and precedes a prohibition of prostration to sun and moon and a command to prostrate to God who created them (41:37), placing the instruction between endurance and the rejection of worshipping created things.
Where it occurs
- 7:200 Closes the instruction with indefinite attributes, إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ, between turning away from the ignorant (7:199) and the mindful recollecting when Satan touches them (7:201).
- 41:36 Closes the instruction with the pronoun هُوَ and definite attributes, إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ, between the statement about those who endure (41:35) and the command to prostrate only to the Creator (41:37).
All Qur'anic expressions