فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا 55
Translations
And some among them believed in it, and some among them were averse to it. And sufficient is Hell as a blaze.
Transliteration
Faminhumm man āmana bihī wa minhumm man sadda 'anhu wa kafā bi jahannam sa'īrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Children of Israel's response to Prophet Musa (Moses) and the clear signs he brought them. Some believed in him while others turned away from his message, and Allah warns that Hellfire is sufficient punishment for those who reject the truth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this reflects the divided response of the Israelites to divine guidance, emphasizing that clear evidence does not compel belief when hearts reject it.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nisa's discussion of the Children of Israel, their covenant with Allah, and their varying responses to prophetic messages. It comes after verses discussing Musa and the Torah, illustrating the historical pattern of some accepting and others rejecting divine guidance—a lesson applicable to the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) own time.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Sahih Bukhari's hadith where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which is fertile soil that absorbs water and brings forth vegetation and grass in abundance, and some of which is hard ground that holds the water and Allah benefits the people with it, and they drink from it and make their animals drink from it and irrigate their crops with it.' This illustrates how the same truth affects people differently.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that receiving clear guidance is not enough—true faith requires a willing heart that actively chooses to accept and follow the message. For believers, it emphasizes the importance of gratitude for being guided, while cautioning against complacency, and for all humanity, it underscores that rejecting divine truth carries serious spiritual consequences.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَـٰنًا مُّبِينًا
O you who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allāh against yourselves a clear case?
وَلْيَخْشَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا۟ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَـٰفًا خَافُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allāh and speak words of appropriate justice.
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allāh, and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech. And ever is Allāh, of what they do, encompassing.
لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِّلَّهِ وَلَا ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا
Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allāh, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant - He will gather them to Himself all together.