وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَضَآلُّونَ 32
Translations
And when they saw them, they would say, "Indeed, those are truly lost."
Transliteration
Wa-idha ra-awhum qalū inna hā'ulā'i ladāllūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the arrogant disbelievers' reaction upon seeing the believers, dismissing them as misguided. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that the disbelievers of Mecca would mock and disparage the followers of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), considering them astray despite the believers' adherence to divine guidance. The ayah highlights the spiritual blindness of those who reject faith—they reverse the truth, calling the guided ones astray while remaining themselves in manifest error.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Mutaffifin, a Meccan chapter addressing the arrogance and denial of the Quraysh. It occurs within a broader passage (verses 29-36) describing the mocking attitude of the wealthy disbelievers toward the believing slaves and poor Muslims, illustrating the social persecution believers faced during the early Meccan period.
Related Hadiths
The theme of believers being mocked relates to Hadith Qudsi: 'My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary works until I love him' (Sahih Bukhari 6502), emphasizing that true guidance comes from Allah regardless of society's rejection. Also relevant is the general instruction in Quran 6:34 that the messengers were mocked before the believers.
Themes
Key Lesson
When truth-bearers are ridiculed by society, it reflects the mockers' spiritual deafness, not any deficiency in the message itself; believers should remain steadfast knowing that Allah's judgment, not worldly opinion, determines true guidance and misguidance.