وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَعْمَىٰ 124
Translations
And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind."
Transliteration
Wa man a'rada 'an dhikree fa-inna lahu ma'eeshatan dankan wa nahshuruh yawma al-qiyamati a'maa
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns that whoever turns away from Allah's remembrance and guidance will face a constrained and difficult life in this world, and will be resurrected blind on the Day of Judgment despite having possessed sight in this life. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the 'blindness' refers both to spiritual blindness in the heart during life and literal blindness in the afterlife, serving as a divine recompense for rejecting divine guidance. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the 'constrained livelihood' (ma'eeshatan dankan) encompasses both material hardship and psychological distress, reflecting the inner turmoil of those who reject Allah's signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Taha's discourse on those who reject divine guidance, following the story of Musa and Pharaoh. It addresses the broader Meccan theme of warning disbelievers about the consequences of turning away from the Quran and Allah's remembrance, emphasizing both worldly and eschatological punishment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever is mindful of Allah, Allah will make a way out for him from every difficulty and will provide for him from where he does not expect' (Sunan Ibn Majah 3886). This hadith provides the positive counterpart, showing that remembrance of Allah brings ease and provision, contrasting with the ayah's warning about turning away.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that disconnection from Allah's guidance produces immediate psychological and material hardship in this life, not merely future punishment, making mindfulness of Allah's remembrance essential for both spiritual and worldly well-being. It serves as a reminder that rejecting divine truth has tangible consequences that begin in this world before the final reckoning.