وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْبَصَرَ وَٱلْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـُٔولًا 36
Translations
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
Transliteration
Wa lā taqfu mā laysa laka bihī 'ilmun. Inna al-sama'a wa-al-basara wa-al-fu'āda kulla ulā'ika kāna 'anhu mas'ūlā.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits following or speaking about matters without knowledge, emphasizing that one will be held accountable for what they hear, see, and know in their heart. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain that this addresses the danger of spreading false information and unverified claims, as all faculties of perception—hearing, sight, and intellect—entail responsibility before Allah. The verse establishes a principle of epistemic integrity in Islam, warning against conjecture and baseless statements.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the Meccan period, this ayah appears in Surah Al-Isra which discusses the Night Journey and emphasizes moral and spiritual principles. It falls within a broader context of commandments regarding righteous conduct (17:22-39), where this particular verse addresses the misuse of knowledge and perception, a prevalent problem in pre-Islamic Arabia where people spread rumors and unverified reports.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'It is enough of a lie for a man to speak of everything he hears' (Sahih Muslim 5). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Bukhari) echoes this principle of accountability for speech.
Themes
Key Lesson
In an age of information overload, this ayah reminds believers to verify information before spreading it and to take responsibility for what they claim to know. We should cultivate intellectual humility, recognizing that hasty judgment about matters without proper knowledge is not only prohibited but also a form of accountability we will face before Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَـٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا
And they say, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled."
وَلَئِن شِئْنَا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِۦ عَلَيْنَا وَكِيلًا
And if We willed, We could surely do away with that which We revealed to you. Then you would not find for yourself concerning it an advocate against Us.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا
And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
رَّبُّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُزْجِى لَكُمُ ٱلْفُلْكَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ لِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا
It is your Lord who drives the ship for you through the sea that you may seek of His bounty. Indeed, He is ever, to you, Merciful.