إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ 55
Translations
Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allāh are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe-
Transliteration
Inna sharra al-dawabb inda Allah alladhina kafaru fahum la yu'minun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers as the worst of creatures (al-dawabb) in Allah's sight because they possess the capacity for reason and understanding yet persistently reject faith. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that 'al-dawabb' (creatures/animals) is used metaphorically here to emphasize that disbelievers, despite their intellectual faculties, behave worse than animals by refusing guidance. The phrase 'they will not believe' indicates their obstinate rejection is self-imposed, not due to inability.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Anfal is primarily Medinan and addresses the early Muslim community regarding the Battle of Badr and the ethics of warfare. This particular ayah occurs in a passage discussing the characteristics of disbelievers and their fundamental nature, emphasizing why they oppose the believers and divine truth. It provides theological context for understanding the spiritual state of those fighting against Allah's message.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding those who reject guidance: 'The worst of creatures are those who disbelieve.' This reinforces that kufr (disbelief) represents a spiritual degradation lower than animal nature despite human intellectual capacity.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejecting divine guidance after understanding it is a grave spiritual condition that separates humans from their elevated status as rational creatures. Modern readers should reflect on how responsibility increases with knowledge—ignorance of truth differs fundamentally from conscious rejection of it.
Related Ayahs
لِيَمِيزَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَبِيثَ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبِ وَيَجْعَلَ ٱلْخَبِيثَ بَعْضَهُۥ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَيَرْكُمَهُۥ جَمِيعًا فَيَجْعَلَهُۥ فِى جَهَنَّمَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
[It is] so that Allāh may distinguish the wicked from the good and place the wicked some of them upon others and heap them all together and put them into Hell. It is those who are the losers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَـٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allāh and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no support of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَٱنۢبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ
If you [have reason to] fear from a people betrayal, throw [their treaty] back to them, [putting you] on equal terms. Indeed, Allāh does not like traitors.
لِيُحِقَّ ٱلْحَقَّ وَيُبْطِلَ ٱلْبَـٰطِلَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
That He should establish the truth and abolish falsehood, even if the criminals disliked it.