يَسْمَعُ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ 8
Translations
Who hears the verses of Allāh recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Yasma'u ayati Allahi tutla 'alayhi thumma yusirru mustakbiran ka-an lam yasma'ha fa-bashshirhu bi-'adhabin alim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who hear the signs (verses) of Allah being recited to them, yet persist in arrogance and turn away as if they never heard them. Ibn Kathir explains that such individuals deliberately reject the truth out of stubborn pride, and Allah commands the Prophet to inform them of a painful punishment awaiting them. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the willful rejection of divine guidance despite clear understanding constitutes a grave sin deserving severe retribution.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Jathiyah, which addresses the obstinacy of the Quraysh who rejected the Prophet Muhammad's message despite its clarity. The surah's broader context concerns those who ignore Allah's signs in creation and revelation, choosing disbelief through arrogance rather than genuine doubt.
Related Hadiths
Related to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said: 'The most hated person to Allah is the one who is most stubborn in disbelief.' Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about those who hear the Qur'an but turn away, mentioned in the context of Surah Al-A'raf (7:204-205).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that mere hearing of God's message without sincere acceptance and humility is spiritually worthless; true faith requires both intellectual understanding and humble submission of the heart to divine guidance.
Related Ayahs
۞ 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.
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."
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱجْتَرَحُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَوَآءً مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds - [make them] equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge [i.e., assume].
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.