وَهُمْ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ وَيَنْـَٔوْنَ عَنْهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهْلِكُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ 26
Translations
And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not.
Transliteration
Wa hum yanhawna 'anhu wa yan'awna 'anhu wa-in yuhlikun illa anfusahum wa ma yash'urun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers who not only reject the Qur'an themselves but actively prevent others from accepting it, yet they are ultimately only harming themselves through their rejection and obstruction. Ibn Kathir explains that their turning away (ina'un) and prohibition (nahu) of others from the Message constitutes self-destruction, as they remain heedless (la yash'urun) of the consequences of their actions. Al-Tabari emphasizes that their efforts to suppress the truth only result in their own perdition, while Al-Qurtubi notes the irony that they imagine they are protecting their people when they are actually leading them toward ruin.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a passage in Surah Al-An'am (revealed in Mecca during the early Meccan period) that addresses the hostile response of the Meccan polytheists to the Prophet Muhammad's preaching of monotheism. The context reflects the Quraysh's coordinated efforts to ridicule the Message, silence the Prophet, and discourage others from listening to him—a persecution detailed throughout the early surahs.
Related Hadiths
The principle is echoed in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of the guidance and the knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which is fertile soil that absorbs water and brings forth vegetation and pasture in abundance.' This hadith illustrates how different people respond to guidance, with some accepting and others rejecting it to their own detriment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that those who reject divine truth and prevent others from accepting it are ultimately responsible for their own destruction—their resistance to guidance does not harm Allah's Message but only seals their own fate. For believers, it offers comfort that persecution and ridicule from opponents cannot undermine the truth, and encourages steadfastness knowing that opponents are working against their own interests.