ٱلَّذِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَهُم بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ كَـٰفِرُونَ 45
Translations
Who averted [people] from the way of Allāh and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they were, concerning the Hereafter, disbelievers."
Transliteration
Alladhina yasuddun 'an sabili-llahi wa yabghunaha 'iwajan wa hum bi-al-akhirati kafirun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who actively obstruct people from the path of Allah and seek to distort it, while denying the Hereafter. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, these are the disbelievers and those who spread misguidance; their rejection of the Afterlife is the root cause of their willingness to prevent others from following Allah's straight path, as they have no fear of divine accountability. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the phrase 'seeking it crooked' (yabghunaha 'iwajan) refers to their deliberate attempts to make Allah's religion appear flawed or to introduce innovations into it.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-A'raf's broader discussion of the signs of Allah and the rejection thereof by disbelievers. It is part of a passage addressing those who reject the Message of the Prophets; the immediate context involves the people of 'Ad and their response to Prophet Hud, illustrating the eternal pattern of rejection and obstruction of truth.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever calls to guidance will receive a reward equal to the rewards of all those who follow him, without their rewards being diminished in any way. And whoever calls to misguidance will bear the sin of it, along with the sins of all those who follow him, without their sins being diminished in any way.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Sahih Muslim) - This hadith illustrates the gravity of leading people away from Allah's path.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers to remain vigilant against those who seek to distort Islamic teaching and to recognize that denial of the Afterlife motivates hostility toward faith itself. The lesson teaches us that true conviction in Allah's religion requires firm belief in accountability in the Hereafter, and that protecting the integrity of Allah's path is a responsibility for all believers.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۭ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْخَلْقُ وَٱلْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
أَوَعَجِبْتُمْ أَن جَآءَكُمْ ذِكْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنكُمْ لِيُنذِرَكُمْ وَلِتَتَّقُوا۟ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Then do you wonder that there has come to you a reminder from your Lord through a man from among you, that he may warn you and that you may fear Allāh so you might receive mercy?"
أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَآ أَن لَّوْ نَشَآءُ أَصَبْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۚ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
Has it not become clear to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins? But We seal over their hearts so they do not hear.
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلْجَرَادَ وَٱلْقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَـٰتٍ مُّفَصَّلَـٰتٍ فَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ
So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.