فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ 10
Translations
In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.
Transliteration
Fī qulūbihim maraḍun fa-zādahumu -llāhu maraḍan wa-lahum ʿadhābun alīmun bimā kānū yakthibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how those who harbor disbelief and hypocrisy in their hearts suffer from spiritual disease (maraḍ), which Allah increases as a consequence of their obstinacy and rejection of truth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as referring primarily to the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) during the Prophet's time, whose hearts became progressively hardened and closed to faith due to their persistent denial and deception. The 'painful punishment' mentioned is both a spiritual reality in this life and an eternal consequence in the Hereafter for those who continue to lie and reject divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 1-20) which describes the characteristics of believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites in Medina after the Prophet's migration. It specifically addresses the condition of the hypocrites who outwardly professed Islam while concealing disbelief in their hearts, a phenomenon unique to the Medinan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart; and if he repents and turns back [to Allah], his heart is cleansed.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2567). This relates to how sins accumulate and harden the heart unless there is repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of truth and deliberate deception do not go unnoticed by Allah; rather, they result in progressive spiritual degradation where the heart becomes increasingly sealed to guidance. For believers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of sincerity (ikhlāṣ) and maintaining an open, receptive heart to divine guidance.
Related Ayahs
أَوْ كَٱلَّذِى مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْىِۦ هَـٰذِهِ ٱللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ ٱللَّهُ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُۥ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِا۟ئَةَ عَامٍ فَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ ءَايَةً لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allāh bring this to life after its death?" So Allāh caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" He [the man] said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allāh is over all things competent."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakāh will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Thus does Allāh make clear to you His verses [i.e., laws] that you might use reason.
ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Allāh is the Ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are ṭāghūt. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.