فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ 10
Translations
In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.
Transliteration
Fī qulūbihim maraḍun fa-zādahumu -llāhu maraḍan wa-lahum ʿadhābun alīmun bimā kānū yakthibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how those who harbor disbelief and hypocrisy in their hearts suffer from spiritual disease (maraḍ), which Allah increases as a consequence of their obstinacy and rejection of truth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as referring primarily to the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) during the Prophet's time, whose hearts became progressively hardened and closed to faith due to their persistent denial and deception. The 'painful punishment' mentioned is both a spiritual reality in this life and an eternal consequence in the Hereafter for those who continue to lie and reject divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 1-20) which describes the characteristics of believers, disbelievers, and hypocrites in Medina after the Prophet's migration. It specifically addresses the condition of the hypocrites who outwardly professed Islam while concealing disbelief in their hearts, a phenomenon unique to the Medinan period.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart; and if he repents and turns back [to Allah], his heart is cleansed.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2567). This relates to how sins accumulate and harden the heart unless there is repentance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of truth and deliberate deception do not go unnoticed by Allah; rather, they result in progressive spiritual degradation where the heart becomes increasingly sealed to guidance. For believers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of sincerity (ikhlāṣ) and maintaining an open, receptive heart to divine guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allāh; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakāh." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا وَصِيَّةً لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَـٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - for their wives is a bequest: maintenance for one year without turning [them] out. But if they leave [of their own accord], then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable way. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allāh and the Last Day," but they are not believers.
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ ۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
That was a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.