وَلَا يَحْزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْكُفْرِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ لَن يَضُرُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ شَيْـًٔا ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَلَّا يَجْعَلَ لَهُمْ حَظًّا فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ 176
Translations
And do not be grieved, [O Muḥammad], by those who hasten into disbelief. Indeed, they will never harm Allāh at all. Allāh intends that He should give them no share in the Hereafter, and for them is a great punishment.
Transliteration
Wa lā yahzunka alladhīna yusāri'ūn fī al-kufr. Innahum lan yadurrū Allāha shay'ā. Yurīd Allāh allā yaj'al lahum hazzān fī al-ākhirah. Wa lahum 'adhābun 'azīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah consoles the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) against the grief caused by those who hasten toward disbelief, assuring him that their rejection cannot harm Allah in any way. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah emphasizes that His divine decree is that these rejectors will have no share in the rewards of the Afterlife and will instead face a severe punishment. The ayah teaches that the ultimate consequence of rejecting faith is exclusion from divine mercy and eternal torment.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period within the context of Surah Āl 'Imrān, which addresses the Muslim community's struggles with disbelievers and hypocrites in Medina. It provides divine comfort to the Prophet as he witnessed many reject Islam despite his efforts, reminding him that Allah alone controls all outcomes and that the disbelievers' actions cannot diminish Allah's power or threaten the Muslim community's mission.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (4777): The Prophet said, 'The best of my nation is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.' This relates to the ayah's emphasis on the consequence of choosing disbelief over faith. Additionally, Sahih Muslim (2384) records that the Prophet was commanded to be patient with those who reject the message, which contextualizes this ayah's consolation.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not be distressed by the rejection of others or the prevalence of disbelief, as the ultimate power and judgment rest entirely with Allah. The spiritual lesson is to place trust in Allah's plan and recognize that those who reject faith inevitably distance themselves from divine favor and face eternal consequences, regardless of their worldly success or numbers.
Related Ayahs
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.
لَن يَضُرُّوكُمْ إِلَّآ أَذًى ۖ وَإِن يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ يُوَلُّوكُمُ ٱلْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يُنصَرُونَ
They will not harm you except for [some] annoyance. And if they fight you, they will show you their backs [i.e., retreat]; then they will not be aided.
وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And obey Allāh and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy.
وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنتُمْ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱللَّهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُۥ ۗ وَمَن يَعْتَصِم بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ هُدِىَ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of Allāh and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allāh has [indeed] been guided to a straight path.