إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّوا۟ عِبَادَكَ وَلَا يَلِدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا فَاجِرًا كَفَّارًا 27
Translations
Indeed, if You leave them, they will mislead Your servants and not beget except [every] wicked one and [confirmed] disbeliever.
Transliteration
Innaka in tadharhum yudillū 'ibādaka wa lā yalидū illā fājiran kaffāra
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) supplicates to Allah, stating that if the disbelievers are left unchecked, they will lead His servants astray and will produce only wicked and ungrateful offspring. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects Noah's deep concern for the spiritual welfare of believers and his plea for Allah's intervention against those who persistently reject the message. The phrase 'fājiran kaffāra' (wicked disbeliever) emphasizes the comprehensive moral corruption that follows from disbelief and disobedience to Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Noah's supplication (du'ā) in Surah Nuh, where he calls upon Allah after his 950 years of preaching to his people with little success. The context reflects Noah's final appeal to Allah against his people's obstinacy, serving as a model of patience and reliance upon Allah despite repeated rejection.
Related Hadiths
The theme of evil companionship corrupting youth is addressed in the hadith: 'A man follows the religion of his friend; so let each one of you consider whom he takes as a friend' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith about the influence of one's environment on character: 'The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of a perfume seller and a blacksmith' (Sahih Bukhari) relates to the concern about corruption through association.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us of the importance of protecting ourselves and our families from negative influences that could lead us astray from Islamic teachings and values. It also underscores that our choices and actions have consequences not only for ourselves but for future generations, emphasizing the responsibility we carry in maintaining Islamic practice and moral standards.