ٱللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ 15
Translations
[But] Allāh mocks them and prolongs them in their transgression [while] they wander blindly.
Transliteration
Allahu yastahzi'u bihim wa yamuddhuhum fi tughyanihim ya'mahun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's response to the mockers and hypocrites who ridicule the believers and the message of Islam. Allah allows them to persist in their transgression and blindness, which is a form of divine punishment—not that Allah literally mocks them, but rather that His plan encompasses their delusion and misguidance as a consequence of their own rejection. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain this as Allah giving them free rein to continue in their arrogance, which leads to their ultimate destruction, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this is part of Allah's wisdom in testing both believers and disbelievers.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 1-20) which describes three categories of people: the believers, the disbelievers, and the hypocrites (munafiqun). The broader context reveals the characteristics of the hypocrites of Medina who outwardly professed Islam while inwardly mocking the believers—a significant challenge the early Muslim community faced after the Prophet's migration to Medina.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever mocks something from the Quran or the religion, has disbelieved' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari describes how the hypocrites of Medina would mock the believers in secret, directly relating to the context of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that those who persist in mocking faith and rejecting truth ultimately deceive only themselves, as Allah's plan encompasses their self-destruction through their own choices. For the believer, it provides reassurance that mockery from the arrogant is insignificant compared to Allah's ultimate justice, and serves as a warning against allowing pride and ridicule to lead one astray from guidance.