وَذَٰلِكُمْ ظَنُّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى ظَنَنتُم بِرَبِّكُمْ أَرْدَىٰكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ 23
Translations
And that was your assumption which you assumed about your Lord. It has brought you to ruin, and you have become among the losers."
Transliteration
Wa-dhālikum ẓannukumu alladhī ẓanantum bi-rabbikum ardājakum fa-aṣbaḥtum mina al-khāsirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the false assumptions and evil thoughts that the disbelievers harbored about Allah—suspecting Him of injustice, denying His promises, and disbelieving in the Hereafter. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, these corrupt beliefs and doubts about Allah's nature and justice became the very cause of their ruin and loss in both worlds, as they were consumed by their own misguided assumptions rather than seeking true knowledge of their Lord.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Fussilat (a Meccan surah), which addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. The broader context (verses 21-24) describes how the disbelievers will be confronted with their evil deeds and false beliefs on the Day of Judgment, making this ayah part of a powerful warning about the consequences of harboring negative assumptions about Allah.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of good assumptions about Allah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Let none of you die except while having good thoughts about Allah' (Sahih Muslim 2877). Also relevant is the hadith about avoiding suspicion: 'Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most false of talk' (Sahih Bukhari 5144).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that our assumptions and beliefs about Allah shape our eternal destiny—holding negative or doubting thoughts about His justice, wisdom, and promise leads to spiritual ruin. Believers should cultivate positive assumptions (husn al-dhann) about Allah and seek to truly know Him through His revelation rather than relying on conjecture and inherited doubts.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ فَٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ ۗ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مُرِيبٍ
And We had already given Moses the Scripture, but it came under disagreement. And if not for a word [i.e., decree] that preceded from your Lord, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed they are, concerning it [i.e., the Qur’ān], in disquieting doubt.
وَيَوْمَ يُحْشَرُ أَعْدَآءُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day when the enemies of Allāh will be gathered to the Fire while they are [driven], assembled in rows,
فَأَمَّا عَادٌ فَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَقَالُوا۟ مَنْ أَشَدُّ مِنَّا قُوَّةً ۖ أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَهُمْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
As for ʿAad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, "Who is greater than us in strength?" Did they not consider that Allāh who created them was greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.
وَلَا تَسْتَوِى ٱلْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌ
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.