وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ 81
Translations
And We gave them Our signs, but from them they were turning away.
Transliteration
Wa aataynahum ayatina fakanu anha mua'ridhin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Thamud, to whom Allah granted clear signs and miracles through the prophet Salih, yet they turned away and rejected them out of arrogance and stubbornness. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that despite the manifest proofs of Allah's oneness and power, their rejection sealed their fate, demonstrating that knowledge of truth without acceptance leads to destruction. The ayah emphasizes that turning away from divine guidance is a deliberate choice that carries severe consequences.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the passage (15:80-84) detailing the destruction of Thamud, a destroyed nation mentioned multiple times throughout the Quran. The surah presents historical narratives of past peoples as warnings to the Meccan disbelievers of Muhammad's time, establishing a pattern of divine punishment for those who reject their prophets' messages.
Related Hadiths
The theme relates to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned about turning away from guidance: 'The most harmful thing for the son of Adam is to turn away from the remembrance of Allah.' Additionally, the general principle is supported by hadith collections emphasizing that rejection of clear signs hastens punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Receiving knowledge of Islamic truth without acting upon it is spiritually dangerous; believers must not merely acknowledge Allah's signs but actively embrace and implement them in their lives. The fate of Thamud serves as an eternal reminder that no amount of miracles or evidence will benefit those whose hearts are sealed by willful rejection.