وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْـِٔدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـٰرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ 110
Translations
And We will turn away their hearts and their eyes just as they refused to believe in it [i.e., the revelation] the first time. And We will leave them in their transgression, wandering blindly.
Transliteration
Wa nuqallibu af'idatahum wa absarahum kama lam yu'minu bihi awwala marratin wa nazaruhum fi tughyaniham ya'mahun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's judgment upon those who persistently reject faith: He seals their hearts and blinds their vision, making them incapable of understanding the signs just as they refused to believe initially. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this represents both a natural consequence of their choices and a divine punishment—Allah leaves them wandering in their transgression and misguidance after they have repeatedly turned away from truth. The 'turning over of hearts and sights' signifies a state of spiritual blindness that prevents them from perceiving guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am, which extensively discusses the signs of Allah and the responses of disbelievers. The broader surah addresses Meccan polytheists who witnessed miracles and clear signs yet persisted in rejection. This particular verse reflects the Quranic principle that rejection of truth leads to further hardness of heart—a recurring theme in Meccan surahs addressing the Quraysh's obstinacy.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Sahih Muslim's hadith where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'When Allah intends good for a servant, He grants him understanding in the religion.' Conversely, the deprivation of understanding is a form of divine punishment. Also relevant is the hadith in Surah Al-An'am 6:25 regarding those whose hearts are sealed from guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that the hardening of hearts is not arbitrary but a consequence of deliberate rejection—when people consistently turn away from truth, their capacity to perceive it diminishes. For believers, it serves as a warning to remain receptive to guidance and vigilant against spiritual complacency.