ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ 16
Translations
Who had denied and turned away.
Transliteration
Al-ladhi kadhdhaba wa-tawalla
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the one who rejected the truth and turned away from it, describing the characteristics of the wretched (al-ashqa). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this phrase encapsulates the spiritual condition of those who actively deny Allah's signs and deliberately turn their backs on guidance, despite its clarity. The dual verbs emphasize both intellectual rejection (kadhdhaba - to deny/lie) and volitional abandonment (tawalla - to turn away), showing that disbelief is not merely intellectual but involves a willful aversion to truth.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Layl is a Meccan chapter that contrasts two paths: the way of the righteous (al-muttaqin) and the way of the wretched (al-ashqa). This particular ayah appears in the section describing the characteristics of the wretched, serving as a warning to the disbelievers of Mecca who refused to accept the Prophet Muhammad's message despite its clarity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The most wretched of the wretched is the one whom Allah has created for wretchedness.' (Reported by Al-Tirmidhi). This hadith reinforces the concept of those who persistently deny and turn away from guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true disbelief involves both rejecting the message intellectually and refusing to submit to it volitionally; believers should examine their hearts to ensure they not only accept truth intellectually but also align their actions and intentions with it.