Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 88

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And they said, “Our hearts are veiled.” Rather, Allah has cast damnation upon them for their disbelief. So, they believe just in very little things

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They say, “Our hearts are unreceptive!”[[ Their hearts are unreceptive because they claim they have enough knowledge already. ]] In fact, Allah has condemned them for their disbelief. They have but little faith.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They say, “Our hearts are wrapped.” Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, little is it that they believe.

A. J. Arberry

And they say, 'Our hearts are uncircumcised.' Nay, but God has cursed them for their unbelief; little will they believe.

Abdul Haleem

They say, ‘Our hearts are impenetrably wrapped [against whatever you say],’ but God has rejected them for their disbelief: they have little faith.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they say: our hearts are uncircumcised. Nay! Allah hath cursed them because of their infidelity: little wherefore it is they believe.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah's Word; we need no more)." Nay, Allah's curse is on them for their blasphemy; Little is it they believe.

Abul Ala Maududi

They say, "Our hearts are secure." Nay, the fact is that Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so they are little disposed to believe.

Ahmed Ali

And they say: "Our hearts are enfolded in covers." In fact God has cursed them for their unbelief; and only a little do they believe.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the Jews said, “Our hearts are covered”; in fact Allah has cursed them because of their disbelief, so only a few of them accept faith.

Ali Quli Qarai

And they say, ‘Our hearts are uncircumcised.’ Rather, Allah has cursed them for their unfaith, so few of them have faith.

Ali Ünal

(Despite all such favors, affection, forgiveness, advice and truths, they refuse to believe, and by way of excuse they ask derisively: "Do we need any of what you have to tell?" Recognizing that what they are told has no effect on them) they say: "Our hearts have become covered (callous, no longer having any ability to believe)." No! Rather, because of their unbelief God has cursed them (excluded them from His mercy and set a seal on their hearts and hearing and a veil on their eyes.) So, little do they believe (or can admit of the truth).

Amatul Rahman Omar

They said, `Our hearts are storehouse of knowledge (so that we stand in no need of further teaching.)´ Rather Allâh has deprived them of His mercy for their disbelief, with the result that little they believe.

English Literal

And they said: "Our hearts/minds (are) covered/uncomprehending ." But God cursed them with their disbelief, so little/few (are) what they believe.

Faridul Haque

And the Jews said, "Our hearts are covered"; in fact Allah has cursed them because of their disbelief, so only a few of them accept faith.

Hamid S. Aziz

They say, "Our heart are wrappings (preserving Allah´s truth)" nay, Allah has cursed them in their unbelief, and few it is who do believe (or little it is they believe).

Hilali & Khan

And they say, "Our hearts are wrapped (i.e. do not hear or understand Allah's Word)." Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when they say: Our hearts are repositories. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so little it is that they believe.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they say: Our hearts are covered. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is that they believe.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they say: Our hearts are hardened. Nay, but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief. Little is that which they believe.

Muhammad Sarwar

They have said that their hearts cannot understand (what you, Muhammad, say). God has condemned them for their denial of the Truth. There are a very few of them who have faith.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They say: 'Our hearts are covered' But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief. Little is that they believe.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they say, "Our hearts are Ghulf." Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.

Wahiduddin Khan

They say, "Our hearts are impenetrably wrapped [against whatever you say]," but God has rejected them for their denial; they have but little faith.

Talal Itani

And they said, “Our hearts are sealed.” Rather, God has cursed them for their ingratitude. They have little faith.

Tafsir jalalayn

And they say, to the Prophet mockingly; `Our hearts are encased' (ghulf is the plural of aghlaf), that is to say, wrapped up in covers and cannot comprehend what you say; God, exalted be He, says; Nay (bal introduces the rebuttal), but God has cursed them, removed them far from His mercy and degraded them when they rejected [the messengers], for their unbelief, which is not the result of anything defective in their hearts; and little will they believe (fa-qallan m yu'minn; the m here is extra, emphasising the `littleness' involved); that is, their belief is minimal.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says;

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ



And they say, "Our hearts are Ghulf."

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said that it,

means, "Our hearts are screened."

Mujahid also said that it means,

"They are covered."`

Ikrimah said,

"There is a stamp on them."

Abu Al-Aliyah said,

"They do not comprehend."

Mujahid and Qatadah said that;

Ibn Abbas read the Ayah in a way that means,

"Our hearts contain every type of knowledge and do not need the knowledge that you (O Muhammad) have."

This is the opinion of Ata and Ibn Abbas.

بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّه بِكُفْرِهِمْ

Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief,

meaning, "Allah expelled them and deprived them of every type of righteousness."

فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ



So little is that which they believe.

Qatadah said that the Ayah means,

"Only a few of them believe."

Allah's statement,
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
(And they say, "Our hearts are Ghulf.") is similar to His statement,

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ

And they say;"Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us. (41;5).

This is why Allah said here,
بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّه بِكُفْرِهِمْ

فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe),

meaning, "It is not as they claim. Rather, their hearts are cursed and stamped," just as Allah said in Surah An-Nisa,

وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَ يُوْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً

And of their saying;"Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say) ـ nay, Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little. (4;155)

There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah's statement,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe.) and His statement,
فَلَ يُوْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
(So they believe not except a few), (4;155).

Some scholars said that;

the Ayat indicate that a few of them would believe, or that their faith is minute, because they believe in Resurrection and in Allah's reward and punishment that Musa foretold. Yet, this faith will not benefit them since it is overshadowed by their disbelief in what Muhammad brought them.

Some scholars said that;

the Jews did not actually believe in anything and that Allah said,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe), meaning, they do not believe.

This meaning is similar to the Arabic expression, "Hardly have I seen anything like this,"

meaning, "I have never seen anything like this.