وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ 55
Translations
And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allāh outright"; so the thunderbolt took you while you were looking on.
Transliteration
Wa-idh qultum ya Musa lan nu'mina laka hatta nara Allaha jahrah fa-akhdhattakumu al-saa'iqah wa-antum tanzurun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the incident when the Children of Israel demanded to see Allah directly and visibly before they would believe in Moses' message. As a consequence of their arrogance and unreasonable demand, Allah sent down a thunderbolt (al-saa'iqah) that struck them while they were watching, which was a severe punishment for their transgression. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this event occurred after the Israelites witnessed the parting of the sea and other miracles, yet still their faith wavered due to their stubbornness and demand for the impossible—seeing the Unseen with their own eyes.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's narrative recounting the history of the Children of Israel and their repeated ingratitude and disobedience. The verse specifically references the incident that occurred during the time of Prophet Moses when the Israelites, despite witnessing numerous miracles, demanded to see Allah directly. This thematic context emphasizes the pattern of human rebellion against divine guidance and the consequences of such arrogance.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that among the previous nations, seventy thousand were destroyed by a single thunderbolt due to their disobedience. Additionally, various hadith collections reference the severity of the punishment inflicted on those who reject clear signs, as seen in Surah Al-Baqarah 55.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that faith based on rational demands for supernatural proof, especially demands contrary to divine nature (like seeing the Unseen), reflects spiritual arrogance and a lack of true submission. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder that true faith requires accepting the limits of human perception and trusting in Allah's wisdom, rather than making unreasonable conditions for belief.
Related Ayahs
۞ لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَىٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ
Not upon you, [O Muḥammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allāh guides whom He wills. And whatever good you [believers] spend is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh. And whatever you spend of good - it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِنَبِىٍّ لَّهُمُ ٱبْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَـٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَـٰتِلَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَـٰرِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses when they said to a prophet of theirs, "Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allāh"? He said, "Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?" They said, "And why should we not fight in the cause of Allāh when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?" But when battle was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَآ ءَايَةٌ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَـٰبَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
Those who do not know say, "Why does Allāh not speak to us or there come to us a sign?" Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].