وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا ۖ مَّأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَـٰهُمْ سَعِيرًا 97
Translations
And whoever Allāh guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray - you will never find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection [fallen] on their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides, We increase [for] them blazing fire.
Transliteration
Wa man yahdi Allahu fa-huwa al-muhtadi wa man yudlil fa-lan tajida lahum awliya min dununih wa-nahshuruhum yawma al-qiyamah ala wujuhihim ʿumyan wa-bukman wa-suman ma'wahum jahannam kullama kabat zidnahum saʿira
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes that true guidance comes exclusively from Allah—whoever He guides is rightly guided, and whoever He leads astray will have no protectors or helpers besides Him. The verse describes the catastrophic state of the misguided on the Day of Judgment: they will be resurrected blind, mute, and deaf, their destination being Hell where the fire is continuously intensified whenever it diminishes. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this represents both the spiritual blindness, muteness, and deafness they exhibited toward divine signs in life, and their literal condition in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Isra, a Meccan surah dealing with the themes of divine guidance, accountability, and the consequences of rejection. The context within the surah addresses the disbelievers' arrogance and their rejection of the Messenger and divine signs, with this particular verse serving as a powerful warning about the inevitable consequences of turning away from Allah's guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whoever Allah leads astray, none can guide. The strongest word (statement of truth) that I and the Prophets before me have said is: There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, Who has no partners' (Tirmidhi 2453). Also relevant: 'Hearts are between two of the Fingers of the Most Merciful, He turns them as He wills' (Sahih Muslim 2654).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that guidance is ultimately from Allah alone, and our responsibility lies in sincere seeking and obedience rather than guaranteeing our own success. It should instill both hope—that Allah's guidance is available to the humble seeker—and fear of negligence, reminding us that rejecting divine signs has severe consequences both in this life and the next.