إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتُّبِعُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ وَرَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَسْبَابُ 166
Translations
[And they should consider that] when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed [them], and they [all] see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties [of relationship],
Transliteration
Idh tabarraa alladhina ittubi'u mina alladhina ittaba'u wa ra'u al-'adhaba wa taqatta'at bihimu al-asbab
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the scene on the Day of Judgment when those who were followed (leaders, idols, false deities) will disassociate themselves from their followers when they see the punishment. Ibn Kathir explains that the leaders will deny their responsibility, saying they never commanded people to disobey Allah, and all connections (spiritual and relational bonds) between them will be severed. Al-Tabari emphasizes that this disavowal occurs at the moment of witnessing the torment, highlighting the futility of false alliances in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's Medinan section discussing the consequences of following falsehood and rejecting guidance. It appears in the broader context (2:165-166) addressing those who take false deities and leaders as equals to Allah, warning them of abandonment on the Day of Judgment.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim about the Day of Judgment: "The Jew will say, 'I followed the Torah,' and the Christian will say, 'I followed the Gospel,' but they will all be told they acted wrongly." Also related: Tirmidhi's hadith about leaders disowning their followers on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that blind allegiance to leaders, scholars, or false ideologies offers no protection on the Day of Judgment—each person bears responsibility for their own choices. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of independent critical thinking in faith and following only what aligns with Allah's guidance, not mere cultural or social pressure.