Saba · Ayah 17

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَـٰزِىٓ إِلَّا ٱلْكَفُورَ 17

Translations

[By] that We repaid them because they disbelieved. And do We [thus] repay except the ungrateful?

Transliteration

Dhālika jazaynāhum bimā kafarū wa-hal nujāzī illā al-kafūr

Tafsir (Explanation)

This ayah concludes the account of the people of Sheba, stating that Allah punished them because of their disbelief and ingratitude, despite the blessings He had granted them. The rhetorical question 'Do We reward anyone except the ungrateful/disbelievers?' emphasizes that punishment is a just consequence of rejecting Allah's signs and turning away from faith. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this serves as a universal principle: Allah's punishment befalls those who deny Him and His blessings, and such is the only recompense fitting for the kafūr (one who persistently denies and is ungrateful).

Revelation Context

This ayah appears within the narrative of Surah Saba, which recounts the story of the people of Sheba (Bilqis and her people) who were blessed with gardens and prosperity but rejected the message of Prophet Solomon and disbelieved in Allah's oneness. The ayah directly refers to the destruction of their gardens as punishment (34:15-16), providing the theological explanation for their destruction. This is part of the Meccan period's emphasis on accountability and divine justice.

Related Hadiths

While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the principle is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is when one is in poverty,' and various hadiths on ingratitude leading to loss of blessings, such as in Jami' at-Tirmidhi regarding those who are thankless losing their blessings.

Themes

Divine Justice and PunishmentIngratitude and DisbeliefConsequences of Rejecting Divine SignsAllah's Equity in Recompense

Key Lesson

This ayah reminds believers that blessings are conditional upon gratitude and faith; rejecting Allah's signs and remaining ungrateful inevitably leads to loss and punishment. Modern readers should reflect on their own ingratitude toward divine blessings and cultivate shukr (thankfulness) as a protective shield against spiritual and material decline.

0:00
0:00

Related Ayahs

9:83At-Tawbah

فَإِن رَّجَعَكَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَىٰ طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ فَٱسْتَـْٔذَنُوكَ لِلْخُرُوجِ فَقُل لَّن تَخْرُجُوا۟ مَعِىَ أَبَدًا وَلَن تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ مَعِىَ عَدُوًّا ۖ إِنَّكُمْ رَضِيتُم بِٱلْقُعُودِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَٱقْعُدُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَـٰلِفِينَ

If Allāh should return you to a faction of them [after the expedition] and then they ask your permission to go out [to battle], say, "You will not go out with me, ever, and you will never fight with me an enemy. Indeed, you were satisfied with sitting [at home] the first time, so sit [now] with those who stay behind."

40:82Ghafir

أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةً وَءَاثَارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَمَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? They were more numerous than themselves and greater in strength and in impression on the land, but they were not availed by what they used to earn.

20:97Taha

قَالَ فَٱذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ أَن تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّن تُخْلَفَهُۥ ۖ وَٱنظُرْ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَـٰهِكَ ٱلَّذِى ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا ۖ لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ نَسْفًا

[Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, 'No contact.' And indeed, you have an appointment [in the Hereafter] you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it [i.e., its ashes] into the sea with a blast.

7:167Al-A'raf

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And [mention] when your Lord declared that He would surely [continue to] send upon them until the Day of Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.