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
ضَرَبَ لَكُم مَّثَلًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ هَل لَّكُم مِّن مَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُم مِّن شُرَكَآءَ فِى مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ فَأَنتُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ تَخَافُونَهُمْ كَخِيفَتِكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess [i.e., slaves] any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.
۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْقَدِيرُ
Allāh is the one who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair. He creates what He wills, and He is the Knowing, the Competent.
أَمْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَـٰنًا فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يُشْرِكُونَ
Or have We sent down to them an authority [i.e., a proof or scripture], and it speaks of what they have been associating with Him?
وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلنَّاسَ ضُرٌّ دَعَوْا۟ رَبَّهُم مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَذَاقَهُم مِّنْهُ رَحْمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
And when adversity touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him. Then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord,