۞ أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ 16
Translations
Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allāh and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.
Transliteration
Alam ya'ni lilladhina amanu an takhsha'a qulubuhum lidhikri-Allah wa ma nazala min al-haqq wa la yakunu ka-alladhina utul-kitab min qabl fatala alayhim al-amad fa qasat qulubuhum wa kathir minhum fasiqun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the believers for delaying in achieving spiritual softness and humility of heart when hearing Allah's remembrance and the revelation of truth. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that Allah is asking whether the time has not yet come for believers' hearts to become humble and submissive, warning them not to imitate the People of the Book whose hearts became hardened over time due to their lengthy distance from truth and prophethood. Al-Qurtubi notes that this ayah serves as a critical reminder that prolonged heedlessness and distance from divine guidance causes hearts to calcify, leading many into disobedience (fisq).
Revelation Context
Revealed in Madinah during a period when some believers were becoming spiritually complacent. The broader context of Surah Al-Hadid emphasizes the transient nature of worldly life and the necessity of sincere faith and charity. This ayah appears in the context of reminding the Muslim community not to fall into the same spiritual decline that befell previous nations.
Related Hadiths
Abu Darda (RA) reported: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Nothing is heavier upon the Scale on the Day of Judgment than good character' (Tirmidhi). Also relevant: 'The best among you are those who have the best character' (Sahih Bukhari), highlighting the connection between tender hearts and righteous conduct that this ayah encourages.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must actively cultivate tender, humble hearts responsive to divine guidance rather than allowing complacency to calcify their spiritual awareness over time. The ayah serves as a timeless reminder that faith requires continuous engagement with remembrance of Allah and His truth, lest our hearts become hardened like those who abandoned the straight path.