إِنَّا قَدْ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْنَآ أَنَّ ٱلْعَذَابَ عَلَىٰ مَن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ 48
Translations
Indeed, it has been revealed to us that the punishment will be upon whoever denies and turns away.'"
Transliteration
Inna qad oohiya ilayna anna al-adhaba ala man kadhdhaba wa-tawalla
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah, spoken by Musa and Harun to Pharaoh, conveys that they have received revelation that severe punishment awaits those who reject the truth and turn away from it. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this warning encompasses both active rejection (takdhib) and passive abandonment (tawallu), indicating that mere disbelief combined with stubborn refusal to accept guidance incurs divine punishment. The ayah reflects the consistent pattern throughout the Quran that rejection and aversion to divine signs are the primary causes of torment in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's mission to Pharaoh in Surah Taha, a Meccan surah revealed to strengthen the Prophet Muhammad and the believers during early persecution. The broader context shows Musa and Harun delivering their message to Pharaoh, and this particular verse represents their direct warning to him about the consequences of denying God's signs and rejecting the message of monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad said: 'The most evil of people are those who reject the signs of Allah and turn away from them.' (Thematic reference to rejection and aversion). Additionally, Surah Al-Ankabut 29:49 presents a related concept about those who reject: 'Rather, these are clear signs in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge'—emphasizing that rejection despite clear evidence incurs punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere acceptance of divine guidance requires both intellectual acknowledgment and heartfelt commitment; mere intellectual recognition without genuine acceptance and adherence is insufficient. For believers today, it serves as a reminder of the importance of not only knowing the truth but actively living by it and avoiding the trap of knowing yet turning away.