وَٱلَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا مُعَـٰجِزِينَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ 38
Translations
And the ones who strive against Our verses to cause [them] failure - those will be brought into the punishment [to remain].
Transliteration
Wal-ladhina yas'aun fi ayatina mu'ajizin, ula'ika fil-adhabi muhdarun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to those who strive to invalidate or nullify Allah's signs and verses through defiance and obstruction, seeking to prevent others from believing in them. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain that such people who actively work against Allah's revelations with the intention of rendering them ineffective will be brought forward in the punishment on the Day of Judgment. The word 'mu'ajizin' (معاجزين) carries the sense of trying to frustrate Allah's will or escape His grip, which is impossible, making their punishment inevitable.
Revelation Context
Surah Saba is a Meccan chapter dealing with themes of monotheism, the Qur'an's authenticity, and the fate of those who reject Allah's message. This particular ayah fits within the broader context of the surah's warning against those who actively oppose and mock the divine signs rather than merely disbelieving passively.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever works against my Sunnah is not from me' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the principle of opposing Allah's signs is condemned in Hadith Qudsi where Allah states: 'Whoever shows enmity to My allies, I declare war upon him' (Sahih Bukhari).
Themes
Key Lesson
Active rejection and mockery of Allah's revelations carries severe consequences; believers should recognize that opposing divine truth is not merely a personal choice but an act of defiance against the Almighty that will be answered with punishment. This serves as a warning to guard one's heart against arrogance and to accept the signs of Allah with humility.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
But those who disbelieve say, "Shall we direct you to a man who will inform you [that] when you have disintegrated in complete disintegration, you will [then] be [recreated] in a new creation?
وَلَا تَنفَعُ ٱلشَّفَـٰعَةُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُۥ ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فُزِّعَ عَن قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.
وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ ٱلْقُرَى ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَـٰهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا ٱلسَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا۟ فِيهَا لَيَالِىَ وَأَيَّامًا ءَامِنِينَ
And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey, [saying], "Travel between them by night or by day in safety."
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ مُّفْتَرًى ۚ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic."