إِنَّا كَاشِفُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابِ قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّكُمْ عَآئِدُونَ 15
Translations
Indeed, We will remove the torment for a little. Indeed, you [disbelievers] will return [to disbelief].
Transliteration
Inna kashifoo al-adhaba qaleelan innakum aaidoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the people of Pharaoh, stating that He will remove the punishment (the plague of locusts, blood, frogs, etc.) for a little while as a trial and test of their faith. However, Allah warns them that they will return to disbelief and transgression (innakum aaidoon - 'you will return'), meaning the punishment will come back upon them. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain this as Allah's way of testing whether the people would truly repent and believe, or whether they would remain obstinate in their rejection of faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ad-Dukhan, a Meccan surah that recounts the story of Pharaoh and his people's rejection of Prophet Musa (Moses). The broader context describes the plagues sent upon Egypt as signs from Allah. This specific ayah reflects the pattern of Pharaoh's people: each time a plague was removed, they returned to their original disbelief instead of taking it as a lesson to believe in Allah's oneness.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly references this ayah, the theme relates to: 'When trials are removed from a people, they often return to their former state of disobedience' - a concept discussed in various hadith collections regarding the consequences of disbelief and hardness of heart (qaswat al-qalb).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that temporary relief from hardship is often a test of our sincerity in faith—we must not return to our previous sins once trials are lifted, as doing so compounds our guilt. For modern believers, it reminds us to maintain steadfast obedience to Allah even in times of ease, and to view periods of relief as opportunities to strengthen our relationship with Him rather than to revert to negligence.