كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ 59
Translations
Thus does Allāh seal the hearts of those who do not know.
Transliteration
Kadhalika yatba'u allahu 'ala qulubi alladhina la ya'lamun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah seals the hearts of those who lack knowledge and understanding, preventing them from accepting divine guidance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this sealing is a consequence of persistent rejection and willful ignorance—those who turn away from knowledge and truth find their hearts progressively hardened until they become incapable of understanding. The phrase 'those who do not know' refers not merely to intellectual ignorance, but to those who deliberately reject guidance and refuse to contemplate the signs of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ar-Rum (The Romans), a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists of Mecca who rejected the message despite clear signs. The broader context discusses how the disbelievers mock the Qur'an and turn away from its message, and this ayah explains the spiritual consequence of such persistent rejection—Allah's seal upon their hearts as a just recompense for their choice.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3334): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Whoever seeks knowledge, Allah will make the way to Paradise easy for him.' This contrasts with those who reject knowledge and understanding, upon whom Allah's seal is placed. Also relevant: Sunan Ibn Majah on the hadith that 'the greatest hijra is to migrate from ignorance to knowledge.'
Themes
Key Lesson
Seeking knowledge and understanding of Allah's signs is not merely an intellectual exercise but a spiritual necessity; rejecting divine guidance leads to progressive spiritual hardening of the heart. Believers must actively cultivate openness to divine truth and avoid complacency in their understanding of faith.
Related Ayahs
وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَعَشِيًّا وَحِينَ تُظْهِرُونَ
And to Him is [due all] praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And [exalted is He] at night and when you are at noon.
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِمْ فَجَآءُوهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ ۖ وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And We have already sent messengers before you to their peoples, and they came to them with clear evidences; then We took retribution from those who committed crimes, and incumbent upon Us was support of the believers.
وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
[It is] the promise of Allāh. Allāh does not fail in His promise, but most of the people do not know.
ثُمَّ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔوا۟ ٱلسُّوٓأَىٰٓ أَن كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ بِهَا يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
Then the end of those who did evil was the worst [consequence] because they denied the signs of Allāh and used to ridicule them.