كَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ فَسَقُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ 33
Translations
Thus the word [i.e., decree] of your Lord has come into effect upon those who defiantly disobeyed - that they will not believe.
Transliteration
Kathalika haqat kalimatatu rabbika alallathina fasaqu annahum la yuminun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that the word (decree) of your Lord has been fulfilled concerning those who have transgressed—that they will not believe. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this refers to Allah's eternal knowledge and predetermined decree that certain people, due to their willful rejection and deviation from truth, are sealed from faith. The ayah emphasizes both divine justice and human responsibility: those who persistently turn away from signs and choose corruption (fisq) over guidance ultimately miss the gift of belief.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus (a Meccan chapter) within the broader context of Prophet Jonah's story and repeated themes of how nations rejected their messengers. It follows verses describing the Meccan polytheists' rejection of the Quranic message despite clear signs, illustrating the pattern that when people deliberately choose transgression, Allah's decree of their disbelief becomes established.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of sealing of hearts: 'When Allah wishes good for a servant, He grants him understanding of the religion' (Sahih Bukhari 71). Also relevant: 'Hearts are between two fingers of the Most Merciful, He turns them as He wishes' (Sahih Muslim 2654), showing that while Allah's decree is absolute, human choice precedes it.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that persistent rejection of truth and deliberate wrongdoing can harden the heart until belief becomes impossible—thus we must guard our hearts, remain open to guidance, and not delay in responding to divine signs, for there is a point where rejection becomes sealed by Allah's justice.