ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَآقُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۖ وَمَن يُشَآقِّ ٱللَّهَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ 4
Translations
That is because they opposed Allāh and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allāh - then indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-annahum shāqqū Allāha wa-rasūlahu wa-man yushāqq Allāha fa-inna Allāha shadīd al-ʿiqāb
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah declares that the punishment befalling the Banu Nadir (Jewish tribe of Medina) was a direct consequence of their opposition and enmity toward Allah and His Messenger. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that 'shiqāq' (opposition/enmity) represents a fundamental rupture in the covenant between the believers and those who rebel against Allah's authority. The ayah establishes a divine principle: those who set themselves against Allah and His messenger face severe punishment, as Allah's power and retribution are absolute and inescapable.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah Al-Hashr, which details the expulsion of Banu Nadir from Medina in the year 4 AH. The tribe had violated their covenant with the Prophet (peace be upon him) by plotting against him and allying with his enemies. This surah documents the consequences of their betrayal and establishes the principle that opposing Allah and His Messenger leads to destruction.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever opposes me will be opposed by Allah, and whoever opposes Allah will be destroyed.' (Related to the principle in Tirmidhi and other collections). Additionally, the incident of Banu Nadir's expulsion is documented in authentic hadith collections including Sahih Bukhari and Sunan Ibn Majah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a reminder that opposition to divine truth and righteous leadership carries inevitable consequences in this world and the hereafter. For believers, it reinforces the importance of loyalty to Allah and His guidance, while warning against the spiritual and material destruction that results from deliberate rebellion against divine authority.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن كَانَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ لَظَـٰلِمِينَ
And the companions of the thicket [i.e., the people of Madyan] were [also] wrongdoers,
فَأَخَذَهُ ٱللَّهُ نَكَالَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَٱلْأُولَىٰٓ
So Allāh seized him in exemplary punishment for the last and the first [transgression]..
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَـٰلِحًا ۗ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةً ۖ فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And to the Thamūd [We sent] their brother Ṣāliḥ. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. This is the she-camel of Allāh [sent] to you as a sign. So leave her to eat within Allāh's land and do not touch her with harm, lest there seize you a painful punishment.
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرَ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَنشَأْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا ءَاخَرِينَ
Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth after them a generation of others.