{On that day, the wrongdoer} who ascribed partners to Allah and disbelieved and rejected the Messengers

{will bite on his hands} in sorrow, regret and anguish {and say: Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger} that is, by believing in him and following him.


{Alas for me! Would that I had not taken So-and-so} this refers
to devils, be they human or jinn
{as a friend} that is, as a dear and close friend; I took as enemies the most sincere and kindest of people to me and I took as friends the most hostile, from whose friendship I gained nothing but misery, loss, disgrace and doom.

{He led me astray from the Reminder [the Qur’an] after it had come to me} when he made fair-seeming to me, by means of tricks and insinuating thoughts, what he was following of misguidance.


{And Shaytan is ever treacherous to man} - he makes falsehood fair-seeming to him and makes the truth appear repulsive; he makes false promises, then he abandons him and disavows him, as he will say to all of his followers, when judgement is passed and Allah has completed humankind’s reckoning:

{And Shaytan will say, when the matter is decided: Verily, Allah gave you a true promise; I also gave you promises, but I betrayed you. I had no power over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me; blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I disavow your erstwhile association of me with Allah... }(Ibraheem 14: 22)

[TAFSEER AS SA'DI]