وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ نَّظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ هَلْ يَرَىٰكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ ثُمَّ ٱنصَرَفُوا۟ ۚ صَرَفَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُم بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ 127
Translations
And whenever a sūrah is revealed, they look at each other, [as if saying], "Does anyone see you?" and then they dismiss themselves. Allāh has dismissed their hearts because they are a people who do not understand.
Transliteration
Wa-idha ma unzilat sūratun naẓara baʿḍuhum ilā baʿḍin hal yarāykum min aḥad thumma inṣarafū. Sarafa-llāhu qulūbahum bi-annahum qawmun lā yafqahūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the hypocrisy of certain people (the munāfiqūn) who, when Quranic verses were recited, would glance at each other mockingly to ensure no one was watching them before departing. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, their behavior demonstrated their rejection of divine guidance, and Allah's turning away of their hearts (saraf) was a consequence of their willful ignorance and refusal to comprehend the truth. The ayah emphasizes that divine guidance requires sincere receptiveness; those who deliberately mock and reject it are sealed from understanding.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9), a Medinan surah revealed after the Battle of Tabūk. The surah extensively addresses the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) who lived among the Muslim community in Medina, revealing their secret plots and attitudes of disdain toward the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad. This particular verse reflects the documented behavior of hypocrites who would ridicule the Qur'an in private gatherings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever hears a verse from the Book of Allah and does not act upon it, on the Day of Judgment Allah will present him as deaf and blind.' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, Jundub ibn Abdullah reported that the Prophet said those who turn away from guidance are like animals; the ayah's theme of willful rejection of understanding parallels Surah Al-A'raf 7:179.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that true faith requires sincere engagement with God's message, not superficial compliance or hidden ridicule. When we deliberately turn away from guidance and mock the truth, we risk having our hearts sealed from understanding—a consequence far greater than any external punishment.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
And [there are] those [hypocrites] who took for themselves a mosque for causing harm and disbelief and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against Allāh and His Messenger before. And they will surely swear, "We intended only the best." And Allāh testifies that indeed they are liars.
وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَمَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
But how is it that they come to you for judgement while they have the Torah, in which is the judgement of Allāh? Then they turn away, [even] after that; but those are not [in fact] believers.
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَٱلَّذِى يُغْشَىٰ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ فَأَحْبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا
Indisposed toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allāh has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُهْتَدِينَ
Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided.