Surah Al-Kahf · سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ · Juz 15
Q 18:57
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا
Translations
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever.Quel pire injuste que celui à qui on a rappelé les versets de son Seigneur et qui en détourna le dos en oubliant ce que ses deux mains ont commis? Nous avons placé des voiles sur leurs cœurs, de sorte qu'ils ne comprennent pas (le Coran), et mis une lourdeur dans leurs oreilles. Même si tu les appelles vers la bonne voie, jamais ils ne pourront donc se guider.Tafsir
There is no one more oppressive that the person who was reminded of the verses of his Lord, but he did not pay any attention to the threat of punishment contained therein and he turned away from taking a lesson, forgetting the disbelief and sins he had done in his worldly life without repenting. I have placed on the hearts of people with this description covers that prevent them from understanding the Qur’ān, and in their ears deafness so that they cannot listen to it acceptingly. If you call them to faith they will never respond to what you call them towards as long as there are covers on their hearts and deafness in their ears.
Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))
And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Ayat (signs) of his Lord, but turns away from them, forgetting what his hands have sent forth. Truly, We have set over their hearts Akinnah, lest they should understand this (the Qur'an), and in their ears, deafness. And if you call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided (57)And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of mercy. Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment. But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape (58)And these towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong. And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction (59)
The Worst People are Those Who turn away after being reminded
Allah says, 'Who among My creatures does more wrong than one who is reminded of the signs of Allah then turns away from them,' i.e., ignores them and does not listen or pay attention to them.
وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ
(forgetting what his hands have sent forth.) means, bad deeds and evil actions.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ
(Truly, We have set over their hearts) means, the hearts of these people,
أَكِنَّةً
(Akinnah) means, coverings.
أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ
(lest they should understand this,) means, so that they will not understand this Qur'an and its clear Message
وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا
(and in their ears, deafness.) means that they will be deaf in an abstract way, to guidance.
وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا
(And if you call them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.)
وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ
(And your Lord is Most Forgiving, Owner of mercy.) means, 'your Lord, O Muhammad, is forgiving and has great mercy.'
لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ
(Were He to call them to account for what they have earned, then surely, He would have hastened their punishment.) This is like the Ayah:
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ
(And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth.)[35:45]
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِّلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ ظُلْمِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
(But verily, your Lord is full of forgiveness for mankind in spite of their wrongdoing. And verily, your Lord is (also) severe in punishment)[13:6].
And there are many Ayat which say the same thing.
Then Allah tells us that He is patient, He conceals faults and forgives sins. He may guide some of them from wrongdoing to true guidance, and whoever continues in his evil ways, then there will come to him a Day when infants will turn grey and every pregnant female will shed her load. He says:
بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا مِن دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا
(But they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no escape.) meaning, they will find no way out.
وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا
(And these towns, We destroyed them when they did wrong.) This refers to earlier nations in times past; 'We destroyed them because of their stubborn disbelief.'
وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِم مَّوْعِدًا
(And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction.) 'We appointed for them a set time limit, not to be increased or decreased. The same applies to you, O idolators, so beware or what happened to them will happen to you too, for you have rejected the noblest Messenger and greatest Prophet, and you are not dearer to Us than them, so fear My punishment and wrath.'
Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net