وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ 105
Translations
And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.
Transliteration
Wa-ka-ayyin min ayatin fi al-samawati wa-al-ardi yamurrun alayha wa-hum anha mu'ridun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah highlights how countless signs (ayat) of Allah's power and wisdom are manifest in the heavens and the earth, yet many people pass by them heedlessly, turning away in indifference. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that these signs—from the celestial bodies to earthly phenomena—are clear proofs of Allah's existence and oneness, but human heedlessness and spiritual blindness prevent people from contemplating and benefiting from them. Al-Qurtubi notes that this aversion is a form of deliberate rejection despite the clarity of evidence.
Revelation Context
While no specific asbab al-nuzul is recorded for this ayah, it appears within Surah Yusuf's broader Meccan context of addressing the disbelievers of Mecca who rejected the Prophet's message. The ayah serves as a general rebuke to those who possess the cognitive ability to reflect upon creation yet choose willful ignorance instead.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Reflect upon creation, but do not reflect upon the Creator' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet emphasizes that 'In every creature there is a sign of Allah's oneness' relates to the theme of recognizing divine signs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that spiritual blindness is often a choice rather than an inability—we are surrounded by undeniable proofs of Allah's majesty, yet our hearts must be actively willing to observe and reflect. For modern believers, this is a call to cultivate conscious awareness of the divine in nature and to examine whether we too pass through life heedless of the signs meant to draw us closer to our Creator.
Related Ayahs
أَفَأَمِنُوٓا۟ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ غَـٰشِيَةٌ مِّنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Then do they feel secure that there will not come to them an overwhelming [aspect] of the punishment of Allāh or that the Hour will not come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?
مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءً سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ إِنِ ٱلْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ۚ أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have named them, you and your fathers, for which Allāh has sent down no evidence. Legislation is not but for Allāh. He has commanded that you worship not except Him. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.
قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَـٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّظَـٰلِمُونَ
He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allāh [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust."
قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُۥ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَتَأْتُنَّنِى بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ
[Jacob] said, "Never will I send him with you until you give me a promise [i.e., oath] by Allāh that you will bring him [back] to me, unless you should be surrounded [i.e., overcome by enemies]." And when they had given their promise, he said, "Allāh, over what we say, is Entrusted."