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 يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ رِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۗ وَمَن يَكُنِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لَهُۥ قَرِينًا فَسَآءَ قَرِينًا
And [also] those who spend of their wealth to be seen by the people and believe not in Allāh nor in the Last Day. And he to whom Satan is a companion - then evil is he as a companion.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ
That is because they disliked what Allāh revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَرْضَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
They swear to you so that you might be satisfied with them. But if you should be satisfied with them - indeed, Allāh is not satisfied with a defiantly disobedient people.
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.