قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَـٰرَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُم مَّنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِهِ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ 46
Translations
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should take away your hearing and your sight and set a seal upon your hearts, which deity other than Allāh could bring them [back] to you?" Look how We diversify the verses; then they [still] turn away.
Transliteration
Qul ara'aytum in akhadha Allahu samʿakum wa absarakum wa khatama ʿala qulubikum man ilahun ghayru Allahi ya'tikum bihi. Undhur kayfa nuṣarrifu al-ayati thumma hum yaṣdifun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical question challenging the polytheists: if Allah were to take away their hearing, sight, and seal their hearts, who besides Allah could restore these blessings? According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes Allah's absolute control over all faculties of perception and the impossibility of any deity other than Allah possessing such power. The ayah concludes by noting how Allah clearly expounds His signs, yet people turn away—a recurring theme in Surah Al-An'am demonstrating humanity's stubborn rejection despite clear evidence.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Meccan period discourse addressing idolaters who attributed powers to their false gods while denying Allah's ultimate sovereignty. It falls within a section of Surah Al-An'am that refutes polytheism through logical argumentation about Allah's exclusive divine attributes and control over creation.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (2857): The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The hearts of all the sons of Adam are between the two fingers of the Merciful as one heart. He turns them wherever He wishes.' This hadith relates to the concept of Allah's control over hearts mentioned in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize our complete dependence on Allah for all our faculties and blessings, and to never associate partners with Him or attribute divine powers to anyone or anything other than the One God. It also serves as a warning against intellectual arrogance and willful rejection of clear truth, encouraging believers to maintain open hearts and minds to Allah's guidance.
Related Ayahs
۞ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَجِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْمَعُونَ ۘ وَٱلْمَوْتَىٰ يَبْعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allāh will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.
قُل لِّمَن مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ قُل لِّلَّهِ ۚ كَتَبَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۚ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth?" Say, "To Allāh." He has decreed upon Himself mercy. He will surely assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who will lose themselves [that Day] do not believe.
وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ ٱسْمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَفِسْقٌ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِهِمْ لِيُجَـٰدِلُوكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ
And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].
وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ
And He is the subjugator over His servants, and He sends over you guardian-angels until, when death comes to one of you, Our messengers [i.e., angels of death] take him, and they do not fail [in their duties].