بَلْ هُمْ فِى شَكٍّ يَلْعَبُونَ 9
Translations
But they are in doubt, amusing themselves.
Transliteration
Bal hum fi shakkin yalAAabun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers as being in doubt and treating the message of faith as mere play or amusement. Ibn Kathir explains that the Meccan polytheists were not sincere seekers of truth but rather dismissed the Quran and the Prophet's message with mockery and frivolity. Al-Tabari emphasizes that their doubt was coupled with a deliberate turning away—they played and jested about matters of ultimate importance rather than seriously considering the truth being presented to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ad-Dukhan's depiction of the Day of Judgment and the rejection of the Quran by the Meccan disbelievers. The surah addresses the mockery and doubt of the Quraysh who treated the divine message as entertainment rather than a serious call to accountability and monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most hated person to Allah is the one who is stubborn in disbelief' (Sahih Bukhari 4777). Also relevant is the hadith about those who mock the signs of Allah: 'Say: Was it at Allah and His signs and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief' (Quran 9:65-66, with commentary in Sunan At-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that trivializing matters of faith or treating religious guidance as a joke reflects a dangerous spiritual condition. It calls us to approach the Quran and Islamic teachings with seriousness, sincerity, and reverence, recognizing that our response to divine guidance has eternal consequences.