قَالَ وَمَن يَقْنَطُ مِن رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلضَّآلُّونَ 56
Translations
He said, "And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?"
Transliteration
Qala wa man yaqnatu min rahmatI rabbihī illā aḍ-ḍālūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) responds to the angels' announcement of Isaac's birth by expressing wonder at God's mercy, rhetorically questioning who would despair of God's mercy except those who are astray. This ayah emphasizes that despair of God's mercy is a characteristic of the misguided and those who have lost their way spiritually. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir highlight that this statement reflects Ibrahim's deep faith and serves as a profound teaching that hope in God's mercy should never be abandoned, regardless of circumstances.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the narrative of Abraham's encounter with the angels who brought him glad tidings of a son in his old age (15:51-56). The context shows Abraham's faith and virtue despite advanced age and his wife's initial disbelief—circumstances that might naturally lead to despair, yet Abraham affirms that only the spiritually lost would despair of God's mercy.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Do not despair of relief from Allah, for indeed no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, 'Despair of the mercy of Allah is kufr (disbelief)' is a principle affirmed in Islamic teaching, emphasizing that hopelessness regarding God's mercy contradicts Islamic faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that despair of God's mercy is fundamentally incompatible with faith and is a sign of spiritual perdition. In modern life, when facing seemingly impossible circumstances—age, infertility, poverty, or hardship—Muslims should emulate Prophet Ibrahim's unwavering hope and remember that maintaining hope in God's infinite mercy is both a sign of faith and a means of spiritual salvation.