قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ 26
Translations
[Allāh] said, "Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people."
Transliteration
Qāla fa-innahā muharramatun 'alayhim arba'īna sanatan yatīhūna fī al-ardi falā ta'as 'alā al-qawm al-fāsiqīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah's statement that the Promised Land was forbidden to the Israelites for forty years as punishment for their rebellion and refusal to enter it despite Moses' command. During this period, they wandered in the desert, and an entire generation died before their descendants could inherit the land. The ayah concludes with consolation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) not to grieve over the disbelievers, as their rejection mirrors the historical pattern of human rebellion against divine guidance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize this as a consequence of kufr (disbelief) and 'isyān (disobedience).
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative recounting the story of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their refusal to enter the land of Canaan (Surah Al-Ma'idah, verses 20-26). It directly follows the account of the ten spies who were sent to scout the land and returned with a fearful report, which caused the people to lose faith. The context addresses the punishment for their rejection of Allah's command and serves as a historical lesson for the Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain hadiths regarding the Children of Israel's forty years of wandering (Tih in the desert). Additionally, hadiths in these collections discuss the Israelites' disobedience and the consequent punishment, reinforcing the Quranic narrative.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of Allah's guidance leads to prolonged separation from blessings, and that the consequences of communal disobedience affect entire generations. For believers, it serves as a reminder to obey Allah's commands promptly and to recognize that witnessing others' rejection of truth should strengthen rather than weaken one's own faith.
Related Ayahs
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allāh; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّـٰلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ ۚ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ
[They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful. So if they come to you, [O Muḥammad], judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them - never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with justice. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allāh is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allāh - Allāh has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.