ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ 19
Translations
Who averted [people] from the way of Allāh and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they, concerning the Hereafter, were disbelievers.
Transliteration
Alladhina yasuddun 'an sabili-llahi wa yabghunaha 'iwajan wa hum bi-l-akhirati hum kafiroon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who turn people away from the path of Allah and seek to make it crooked/deviant, while denying the Hereafter. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, these are the disbelievers and those who actively obstruct others from faith through deception and distortion of the truth. Their rejection of the Hereafter is the root cause of their deviation, as denial of divine accountability embolds them in their rejection of Allah's straight path.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Hud, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes divine guidance and warning against those who reject it. It follows the discussion of previous nations and their rejection of prophets, establishing a pattern of how people actively work against God's path rather than merely being negligent. The context illustrates the obstinacy of the Meccan disbelievers who not only rejected the message themselves but actively campaigned against its acceptance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward similar to that of its doer' (Sahih Muslim 1893). Conversely, the concept of leading others astray and turning them from the path is condemned in numerous hadiths, including references to those who distort religion for worldly gain (See Jami' at-Tirmidhi on those who misguide others).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against both personal deviation from Allah's path and the greater sin of actively misleading others away from faith. For believers, it underscores the importance of remaining steadfast on the straight path and protecting others from those who seek to corrupt religion, while recognizing that ultimate guidance comes from Allah alone.
Related Ayahs
وَأَنِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَـٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِى فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُۥ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ كَبِيرٍ
And [saying], "Seek forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favor his favor [i.e., reward]. But if you turn away, then indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a great Day.
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals."
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِىٓ أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَآ أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَـٰلِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ
And O my people, let not [your] dissension from me cause you to be struck by that similar to what struck the people of Noah or the people of Hūd or the people of Ṣāliḥ. And the people of Lot are not from you far away.
وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ
And We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. And they were not availed at all by their gods which they invoked other than Allāh when there came the command of your Lord. And they did not increase them in other than ruin.