وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ 55
Translations
And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allāh outright"; so the thunderbolt took you while you were looking on.
Transliteration
Wa-idh qultum ya Musa lan nu'mina laka hatta nara Allaha jahrah fa-akhdhattakumu al-saa'iqah wa-antum tanzurun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the incident when the Children of Israel demanded to see Allah directly and visibly before they would believe in Moses' message. As a consequence of their arrogance and unreasonable demand, Allah sent down a thunderbolt (al-saa'iqah) that struck them while they were watching, which was a severe punishment for their transgression. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this event occurred after the Israelites witnessed the parting of the sea and other miracles, yet still their faith wavered due to their stubbornness and demand for the impossible—seeing the Unseen with their own eyes.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's narrative recounting the history of the Children of Israel and their repeated ingratitude and disobedience. The verse specifically references the incident that occurred during the time of Prophet Moses when the Israelites, despite witnessing numerous miracles, demanded to see Allah directly. This thematic context emphasizes the pattern of human rebellion against divine guidance and the consequences of such arrogance.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that among the previous nations, seventy thousand were destroyed by a single thunderbolt due to their disobedience. Additionally, various hadith collections reference the severity of the punishment inflicted on those who reject clear signs, as seen in Surah Al-Baqarah 55.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that faith based on rational demands for supernatural proof, especially demands contrary to divine nature (like seeing the Unseen), reflects spiritual arrogance and a lack of true submission. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder that true faith requires accepting the limits of human perception and trusting in Allah's wisdom, rather than making unreasonable conditions for belief.
Related Ayahs
۞ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِىَ مَوَٰقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَٱلْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ ٱلْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا۟ ٱلْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَٰبِهَا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the crescent moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for ḥajj [pilgrimage]." And it is not righteousness to enter houses from the back, but righteousness is [in] one who fears Allāh. And enter houses from their doors. And fear Allāh that you may succeed.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
And establish prayer and give zakāh, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. Indeed Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۘ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
Beautified for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe. But those who fear Allāh are above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allāh gives provision to whom He wills without account.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا وَصِيَّةً لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَـٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - for their wives is a bequest: maintenance for one year without turning [them] out. But if they leave [of their own accord], then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable way. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.