يَسْمَعُ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُصِرُّ مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا ۖ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ 8
Translations
Who hears the verses of Allāh recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Yasma'u ayati Allahi tutla 'alayhi thumma yusirru mustakbiran ka-an lam yasma'ha fa-bashshirhu bi-'adhabin alim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who hear the signs (verses) of Allah being recited to them, yet persist in arrogance and turn away as if they never heard them. Ibn Kathir explains that such individuals deliberately reject the truth out of stubborn pride, and Allah commands the Prophet to inform them of a painful punishment awaiting them. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the willful rejection of divine guidance despite clear understanding constitutes a grave sin deserving severe retribution.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Jathiyah, which addresses the obstinacy of the Quraysh who rejected the Prophet Muhammad's message despite its clarity. The surah's broader context concerns those who ignore Allah's signs in creation and revelation, choosing disbelief through arrogance rather than genuine doubt.
Related Hadiths
Related to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said: 'The most hated person to Allah is the one who is most stubborn in disbelief.' Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about those who hear the Qur'an but turn away, mentioned in the context of Surah Al-A'raf (7:204-205).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that mere hearing of God's message without sincere acceptance and humility is spiritually worthless; true faith requires both intellectual understanding and humble submission of the heart to divine guidance.
Related Ayahs
هَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبُنَا يَنطِقُ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنسِخُ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
This, Our record, speaks about you in truth. Indeed, We were having transcribed whatever you used to do."
وَخَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And Allāh created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.
ذَٰلِكُم بِأَنَّكُمُ ٱتَّخَذْتُمْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ هُزُوًا وَغَرَّتْكُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ فَٱلْيَوْمَ لَا يُخْرَجُونَ مِنْهَا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
That is because you took the verses of Allāh in ridicule, and worldly life deluded you." So that Day they will not be removed from it, nor will they be asked to appease [Allāh].
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَفَضَّلْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgement and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds.