وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِيمَآ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰكُمْ فِيهِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَـٰرًا وَأَفْـِٔدَةً فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلَآ أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ وَلَآ أَفْـِٔدَتُهُم مِّن شَىْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا۟ يَجْحَدُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ 26
Translations
And We had certainly established them in such as We have not established you, and We made for them hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect]. But their hearing and vision and hearts availed them not from anything [of the punishment] when they were [continually] rejecting the signs of Allāh; and they were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad makkannāhum fīmā in makkannākum fīhi wa-jaʿalnā lahum samʿan wa-abṣāran wa-afʾidatan famā aghnā ʿanhum samʿuhum wa-lā abṣāruhum wa-lā afʾidatuhum min shayʾin idhā kānū yajḥadūn bi-āyāti -llāhi wa-ḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihi yastahziʾūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of 'Ād, whom Allah granted dominion and resources comparable to or exceeding what He granted the Quraysh, along with faculties of hearing, sight, and understanding hearts. However, despite these divine gifts and clear signs, their rejection and mockery of Allah's signs rendered these faculties utterly useless to them, and the punishment they mocked ultimately befell them. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this demonstrates how arrogance and denial nullify the benefit of knowledge and sensory perception—gifts become curses when misused through rejection of truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ahqaf's broader narrative about the destruction of the people of 'Ād due to their arrogance and rejection of the Prophet Hud's message. The surah uses their example as a warning to the Meccan disbelievers, showing that material power and human faculties are meaningless without faith and obedience to Allah.
Related Hadiths
The principle echoes the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The worst deaf person is the one who does not hear the truth,' and Surah Al-Furqan (25:44) which similarly states that disbelievers are like cattle who lack understanding despite having hearing and sight.
Themes
Key Lesson
Possessing knowledge, intelligence, and means of understanding is a grave responsibility; without sincere faith and humility, these gifts become sources of condemnation rather than blessing. Modern believers should reflect that access to truth and guidance demands accountability, and rejection of divine signs invites divine punishment no matter one's worldly status or capability.