أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِۦ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِۦ غِشَـٰوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ 23
Translations
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allāh has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allāh? Then will you not be reminded?
Transliteration
Afara'ayta mani ittakhaza ilahahu hawahu wa adallaahu Allahu 'ala 'ilmin wa khatama 'ala sam'ihi wa qalbihi wa ja'ala 'ala basarihi ghishawatan faman yahdih min ba'di Allahi afalaa tatadhakkarun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the spiritual state of one who follows his desires (hawā) instead of divine guidance, taking his whims as his god. According to classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, Allah seals the hearing and heart of such a person as punishment for their deliberate rejection of truth, and places a veil over their sight—a state of spiritual blindness brought about by their own choices and confirmed by Allah's judgment. The ayah concludes rhetorically, emphasizing that no one can guide such a person after Allah has abandoned them to their misguidance, serving as a warning against prioritizing desires over divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Jathiyah (a Meccan surah), which addresses the obstinacy of the Meccan disbelievers who rejected the Qur'an despite its clear signs. The broader context of this surah emphasizes the consequences of rejecting Allah's signs and following one's desires instead of submitting to divine guidance. This ayah specifically addresses those who make their desires their ultimate authority.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sunan At-Tirmidhi: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The best of you are those who have the best manners,' highlighting the opposite of following whims. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet warned against following desires: 'A man's religion follows his heart,' emphasizing the connection between the heart's condition and spiritual guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a profound warning that continuously choosing desires over divine truth leads to a hardening of the heart and spiritual blindness—a self-inflicted condition ultimately confirmed by Allah's justice. Modern readers should reflect on how their daily choices and priorities either align with or contradict divine guidance, recognizing that indifference to truth gradually diminishes one's capacity to perceive and accept it.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
مِّن وَرَآئِهِمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَلَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُم مَّا كَسَبُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا مَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Before them is Hell, and what they had earned will not avail them at all nor what they had taken besides Allāh as allies. And they will have a great punishment.
فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْحَمْدُ رَبِّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَرَبِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Then, to Allāh belongs [all] praise - Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds.
۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَجْرِىَ ٱلْفُلْكُ فِيهِ بِأَمْرِهِۦ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
It is Allāh who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.