فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِم بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ ۚ بَلْ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 155
Translations
And [We cursed them] for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allāh and their killing of the prophets without right and their saying, "Our hearts are wrapped" [i.e., sealed against reception]. Rather, Allāh has sealed them because of their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.
Transliteration
Fabima naqdhihim mithaqahum wa kufrihim bi-ayati Allahi wa qatlihimu al-anbiya'a bighayri haqq wa qawlihim qulubuna ghulf. Bal taba'a Allahu alayha bikufrihim fala yu'minun illa qalilan.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah details the grave sins of the Children of Israel for which Allah sealed their hearts: breaking their covenant with Allah, rejecting His signs, killing the prophets unjustly, and claiming their hearts were sealed (impervious to guidance). Ibn Kathir explains that Allah's sealing of their hearts was a consequence of their deliberate rejection and disbelief, not an arbitrary act—thus only a few among them would believe. Al-Qurtubi notes this demonstrates the causal relationship between persistent rejection and spiritual blindness, where one's choices lead to divine punishment through the hardening of the heart.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a broader Medinan passage (4:153-162) discussing the transgressions of the Israelites mentioned throughout Islamic history. The context addresses their repeated violations of the covenant, resistance to prophets, and persistent disbelief, which provides explanation for their spiritual condition during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The surah was revealed in Medina where Muslims had significant contact with Jewish communities.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3442): The Prophet said regarding the Qur'an, 'Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.' This relates to the rejection of divine guidance. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim about the sealing of hearts: those who repeatedly reject truth eventually lose the capacity to recognize it.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of truth and violation of covenants with Allah carries severe spiritual consequences, including a hardened heart incapable of accepting guidance. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to guard our hearts through obedience, sincere intention, and openness to divine guidance, lest we fall into the same spiritual condition of those who turned away from Allah's signs.
Related Ayahs
لَّـٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا
But Allāh bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allāh as Witness.
وَٱلَّـٰتِى يَأْتِينَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ فَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن شَهِدُوا۟ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْبُيُوتِ حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّىٰهُنَّ ٱلْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلًا
Those who commit immorality [i.e., unlawful sexual intercourse] of your women - bring against them four [witnesses] from among you. And if they testify, confine them [i.e., the guilty women] to houses until death takes them or Allāh ordains for them [another] way.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allāh and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allāh and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between -
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ ضَلَـٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allāh have certainly gone far astray.