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.