بَلْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِىٓ أَمْرٍ مَّرِيجٍ 5
Translations
But they denied the truth when it came to them, so they are in a confused condition.
Transliteration
Bal kadhdhaboo bil-haqqi lamma jaahum fahum fee amrin mareej
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who rejected the truth when it came to them, leaving them in a state of confusion and uncertainty about their affairs. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'mareej' (مريج) as meaning 'mixed up,' 'confused,' or 'unstable'—describing the spiritual and intellectual turmoil of those who reject clear divine guidance. The ayah emphasizes that willful rejection of truth leads not to intellectual clarity but to profound confusion and instability in one's worldview and conduct.
Revelation Context
Surah Qaf is a Meccan chapter addressing the disbelievers of Mecca who rejected the Qur'an and the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This ayah occurs in the opening section where Allah describes the obstinacy of those who denied the resurrection and the Qur'an despite its clarity, contextualizing their rejection within the broader theme of denial of divine signs.
Related Hadiths
The Qur'an states in 47:16: 'And among them are those who listen to you, but We have cast over their hearts coverings, so they do not understand it.' This is thematically related as both describe the spiritual consequence of rejecting truth. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said those who turn away from guidance are left in darkness and confusion.
Themes
Key Lesson
When we knowingly reject clear truth and divine guidance, we inevitably descend into confusion and instability in our beliefs and actions rather than finding the clarity we seek elsewhere. The lesson encourages sincere acceptance of truth and warns against the spiritual consequences of willful denial.
Related Ayahs
قُتِلَ ٱلْخَرَّٰصُونَ
Destroyed are the misinformers
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
۞ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلصِّدْقِ إِذْ جَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allāh and denies the truth when it has come to him? Is there not in Hell a residence for the disbelievers?
وَإِذْ قَالُوا۟ ٱللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـٰذَا هُوَ ٱلْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَوِ ٱئْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
And [remember] when they said, "O Allāh, if this should be the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment."