بَلِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۖ فَمَن يَهْدِى مَنْ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ 29
Translations
But those who wrong follow their [own] desires without knowledge. Then who can guide one whom Allāh has sent astray? And for them there are no helpers.
Transliteration
Bal ittaba'a alladhīna ẓalamū ahwāʾahum bighayri ʿilmin famman yahdī man aḍalla allāhu wamā lahum min nāṣirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who follow their desires and whims without knowledge, emphasizing that such deviation is a consequence of their own wrongdoing. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah teaches that once Allah allows someone to go astray due to their rejection of truth and pursuit of falsehood, no one can guide them back—highlighting the severe consequences of willful ignorance and stubbornness in rejecting divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ar-Rum's discussion of the straight path (fitrah) upon which Allah has created all creation. The surah addresses the Meccan polytheists who abandoned the natural inclination toward monotheism in favor of their ancestral customs and desires. This ayah specifically rebukes those who prioritize personal whims over revealed knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever Allah wishes to guide, He opens his chest to Islam; and whoever He wishes to leave astray, He makes his chest tight and constricted' (Sahih Muslim 2644). Also related is the hadith about following desires: 'Do not follow desires, for it will lead you astray from the path of Allah' (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that mere desire and emotion, without grounding in knowledge and truth, lead to spiritual ruin and abandonment by Allah. It emphasizes the critical importance of seeking knowledge ('ilm) and submitting to divine guidance rather than following one's passions, as the latter path offers no protection or salvation.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُم مِّن شُرَكَآئِهِمْ شُفَعَـٰٓؤُا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ بِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ كَـٰفِرِينَ
And there will not be for them among their [alleged] partners any intercessors, and they will [then] be disbelievers in their partners.
فِى بِضْعِ سِنِينَ ۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِنۢ بَعْدُ ۚ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Within three to nine years. To Allāh belongs the command [i.e., decree] before and after. And that day the believers will rejoice
وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يُبْلِسُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
And the Day the Hour appears the criminals will be in despair.
وَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُم مِّن رِّبًا لِّيَرْبُوَا۟ فِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرْبُوا۟ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُضْعِفُونَ
And whatever you give for interest [i.e., advantage] to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allāh. But what you give in zakāh, desiring the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh - those are the multipliers.