قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوٓا۟ أَنَحْنُ صَدَدْنَـٰكُمْ عَنِ ٱلْهُدَىٰ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَكُم ۖ بَلْ كُنتُم مُّجْرِمِينَ 32
Translations
Those who were arrogant will say to those who were oppressed, "Did we avert you from guidance after it had come to you? Rather, you were criminals."
Transliteration
Qāla alladhīna istakbarū lilladhīna ustuḍ'ifū a-naḥnu ṣadaddnākum 'anil-hudā ba'da idhā jā'akum bal kuntum mujrimīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The arrogant deny responsibility for leading others astray, claiming they never prevented the weak from guidance; rather, the weak were already criminals and rejectors of truth by their own nature and choice. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse exposes the hypocrisy and false excuses of the arrogant on the Day of Judgment, as they attempt to shift blame while Allah reveals that their seduction away from truth was indeed a form of active obstruction, yet the weak also bore responsibility for accepting it.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Saba within a passage describing the dialogue between the arrogant and the weak on the Day of Judgment. The surah generally addresses the denial of resurrection and the accountability of those who rejected the message. This specific verse illustrates the mutual recriminations between different groups of disbelievers in the afterlife, reflecting themes of responsibility and self-deception prevalent throughout Meccan surahs.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Sahih Muslim (2989) contains a related theme where the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that on the Day of Judgment, people will attempt to shift blame, and every soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about those who lead others astray bearing the burden of sin equal to those they misled.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while we may be influenced by others, we ultimately bear responsibility for our own choices and cannot excuse our rejection of truth by blaming external pressure. It serves as a reminder that attempting to shift blame on the Day of Judgment will be futile, as Allah knows the true state of each heart.