۞ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَٱلْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ 36
Translations
Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allāh will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.
Transliteration
Innama yastajeebu allatheena yasmaAAoon. Walmawtaa yabAAathuhumu Allahu thumma ilayhi yurjaAAoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah conveys that only those with living hearts—those who listen and reflect with understanding—will respond to the message of Allah. The dead (both literally and spiritually, referring to those whose hearts are sealed from guidance) will be resurrected by Allah on the Day of Judgment, after which they return to Him for reckoning. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret the 'dead' as those who are heedless and turn away from the divine message, emphasizing that spiritual deafness and hardness of heart prevent one from accepting guidance in this life.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-An'am, which addresses the pagans of Mecca who rejected the Qur'an despite hearing it clearly. The verse responds to their willful rejection and spiritual blindness, reminding them that resurrection is inevitable and that their unwillingness to listen in this world does not exempt them from accountability in the hereafter.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing the importance of listening and understanding. Additionally, 'Whoever Allah intends good for, He gives him understanding of the religion' (Sahih Bukhari 71), which relates to the spiritual capacity to hear and comprehend.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that hearing the divine message requires not just physical ears but an attentive, open heart willing to reflect and respond. It also serves as a sobering reminder that worldly heedlessness does not negate accountability before Allah, and all souls will ultimately return to Him for judgment.
Related Ayahs
وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْـِٔدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـٰرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
And We will turn away their hearts and their eyes just as they refused to believe in it [i.e., the revelation] the first time. And We will leave them in their transgression, wandering blindly.
وَحَآجَّهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ أَتُحَـٰٓجُّوٓنِّى فِى ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَىٰنِ ۚ وَلَآ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَسِعَ رَبِّى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا ۗ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
And his people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me concerning Allāh while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him [and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember?
وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ ۗ قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِۦ مُوسَىٰ نُورًا وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ تَجْعَلُونَهُۥ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا ۖ وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ
And they did not appraise Allāh with true appraisal when they said, "Allāh did not reveal to a human being anything." Say, "Who revealed the Scripture that Moses brought as light and guidance to the people? You [Jews] make it into pages, disclosing [some of] it and concealing much. And you were taught that which you knew not - neither you nor your fathers." Say, "Allāh [revealed it]." Then leave them in their [empty] discourse, amusing themselves.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.