ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا عَلَى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ 107
Translations
That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter and that Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-annahumu stahabbū al-hayāta ad-dunyā alā al-ākhirah wa-anna Allāha lā yahdī al-qawma al-kāfirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explains the reason for the destruction and punishment of those who reject Allah's message: their deliberate choice to prioritize worldly desires and material gains over spiritual truth and the eternal life to come. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this ayah demonstrates a cause-and-effect relationship—disbelief stems from loving the dunya (temporal world), which then leads to Allah withdrawing His guidance as a consequence of their choice. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this preference reflects a fundamental misalignment of values that prevents hearts from accepting divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nahl's discussion of those who reject Allah's signs despite clear evidence. The broader passage addresses the stubbornness of disbelievers who witnessed miracles and teachings but chose to deny them. This reflects the Meccan period's constant struggle between the Prophet's message and the pagan Meccans' attachment to their worldly customs and material prosperity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'A man is upon the religion of his friend, so let one of you look to whom he befriends' (Tirmidhi 2378), relating to how environmental and social influences shape one's spiritual priorities. Additionally, the hadith 'The love of the dunya is the root of all evil' (At-Tirmidhi) directly connects worldly attachment to spiritual corruption.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that spiritual success requires consciously choosing eternal values over temporary worldly gains, and that the heart's attachment to material pursuits creates a barrier to receiving divine guidance. Modern readers should reflect on their own priorities and ensure that the pursuit of wealth, status, and comfort does not eclipse their commitment to faith and the Hereafter.
Related Ayahs
ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَـٰدِلْهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ فَهَلْ عَلَى ٱلرُّسُلِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?
فَٱدْخُلُوٓا۟ أَبْوَٰبَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ فَلَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ
So enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and how wretched is the residence of the arrogant.
وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
And We gave him good in this world, and indeed, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous.