ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَفَرُوا۟ ۖ وَهَلْ نُجَـٰزِىٓ إِلَّا ٱلْكَفُورَ 17
Translations
[By] that We repaid them because they disbelieved. And do We [thus] repay except the ungrateful?
Transliteration
Dhālika jazaynāhum bimā kafarū wa-hal nujāzī illā al-kafūr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the account of the people of Sheba, stating that Allah punished them because of their disbelief and ingratitude, despite the blessings He had granted them. The rhetorical question 'Do We reward anyone except the ungrateful/disbelievers?' emphasizes that punishment is a just consequence of rejecting Allah's signs and turning away from faith. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this serves as a universal principle: Allah's punishment befalls those who deny Him and His blessings, and such is the only recompense fitting for the kafūr (one who persistently denies and is ungrateful).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the narrative of Surah Saba, which recounts the story of the people of Sheba (Bilqis and her people) who were blessed with gardens and prosperity but rejected the message of Prophet Solomon and disbelieved in Allah's oneness. The ayah directly refers to the destruction of their gardens as punishment (34:15-16), providing the theological explanation for their destruction. This is part of the Meccan period's emphasis on accountability and divine justice.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, the principle is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is when one is in poverty,' and various hadiths on ingratitude leading to loss of blessings, such as in Jami' at-Tirmidhi regarding those who are thankless losing their blessings.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that blessings are conditional upon gratitude and faith; rejecting Allah's signs and remaining ungrateful inevitably leads to loss and punishment. Modern readers should reflect on their own ingratitude toward divine blessings and cultivate shukr (thankfulness) as a protective shield against spiritual and material decline.
Related Ayahs
وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا وَمَا لَيْسَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ
And they worship besides Allāh that for which He has not sent down authority and that of which they have no knowledge. And there will not be for the wrongdoers any helper.
فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِۦ وَبِدَارِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ مِن فِئَةٍ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُنتَصِرِينَ
And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allāh, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِقَآئِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَئِسُوا۟ مِن رَّحْمَتِى وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And the ones who disbelieve in the signs of Allāh and the meeting with Him - those have despaired of My mercy, and they will have a painful punishment.
عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ
Over them will be fire closed in.