فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ فَتَرْدَىٰ 16
Translations
So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish.
Transliteration
Fala yaṣiddannaka ʿanhā man lā yuʾminu bihā wa-ttabaʿa hawāhu fatardā
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands Prophet Musa not to be deterred from the message by those who disbelieve in it and follow their own desires, lest he be destroyed along with them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah warns against the influence of disbelievers and those enslaved to their passions, instructing the believer to remain steadfast regardless of opposition. The verb 'tardā' (you perish/are ruined) carries both spiritual and temporal destruction, indicating the severe consequences of abandoning divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the context of Surah Taha, revealed in Mecca during the period of intense Meccan opposition to the Prophet. Verse 16 is part of Allah's instruction to Musa regarding his mission, serving as guidance for all messengers and believers who face ridicule and rejection from their communities for upholding divine truth.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (2889) where the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The example of the one who adheres to my Sunnah despite the corruption of my Ummah is like the example of one holding onto a hot coal,' relates thematically to remaining steadfast despite opposition. Also relevant is the hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi (2945) about remaining firm on guidance despite the majority following falsehood.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that conviction in divine truth must not be compromised by the disbelief or desires of others around them; remaining firm on the straight path, even in isolation, leads to salvation, while following the crowd into error leads to spiritual ruin.