Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Jathiyah Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, have you seen him who has taken his desires as his god, and Allah has let him go astray, despite having knowledge, and has sealed his ear and his heart, and put a cover on his eye? Now who will guide him after Allah? Still, do you not take lesson?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have you seen ˹O Prophet˺ those who have taken their own desires as their god? ˹And so˺ Allah left them to stray knowingly, sealed their hearing and hearts, and placed a cover on their sight. Who then can guide them after Allah? Will you ˹all˺ not then be mindful?

Ruwwad Translation Center

Have you seen the one who took his whims as his god, and Allah caused him to stray despite having knowledge, and sealed up his hearing and heart, and put a cover over his sight? Who can guide him after Allah? Will you not then take heed?

A. J. Arberry

Hast thou seen him who has taken his caprice to be his god, and God has led him astray out of a knowledge, and set a seal upon his hearing and his heart, and laid a covering on his eyes? Who shall guide him after God? What, will you not remember?

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], consider the one who has taken his own desire as a god, whom God allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes- who can guide such a person after God [has done this]? Will you [people] not take heed?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Beholdest thou him who taketh for his god his own vain desire, and Allah hath sent him astray despite his knowledge, and hath sealed up his hearing and his heart, and hath set on his sight a covering? Who will guide him after Allah? Will ye not then be admonished?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?

Abul Ala Maududi

Did you ever consider the case of him who took his desire as his god, and then Allah caused him to go astray despite knowledge, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and cast a veil over his sight? Who, after Allah, can direct him to the Right Way? Will you not take heed?

Ahmed Ali

Just think: Who apart from God can show the way to him who deifies his ego into his god, whom God allows to go astray knowingly, and seals his ears and heart, and covers over his eyes with a veil? Why then do you not contemplate?

Ahmed Raza Khan

Just look at him who makes his desire as his God, and Allah has sent him astray despite his having knowledge, and set a seal upon his ears and his heart, and a covering upon his eyes; so who will guide him after Allah? So do you not ponder?

Ali Quli Qarai

Have you seen him who has taken his desire to be his god and whom Allah has led astray knowingly, set a seal upon his hearing and heart, and put a blindfold on his sight? So who will guide him after Allah [has consigned him to error]? Will you not then take admonition?

Ali Ünal

Do you ever consider him who has taken his lusts for his deity, and whom God has (consequently) led astray though he has knowledge (of guidance and straying), and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight? Who, then, can guide him after God (has led him astray)? Will you not then reflect and be mindful?

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have you considered the case of him who has taken his own low desires for his god and whom Allâh has forsaken and adjudged as lost on the basis of (His infinite) knowledge, and whose ears and heart He has sealed and whose eyes He has covered with a veil? Who then will guide him after Allâh (has condemned him for his being given to evil ways)? Will you then pay no heed?

English Literal

Did you see/understand who took (idolized) his self attraction for desire (as) his god? And God misguided him on knowledge, and He sealed/stamped on his hearing/listening/sense of hearing and His heart/mind ,and He made/put on his eye sight/understanding a cover, so who guides him from after God? So do you not mention/remember ?

Faridul Haque

Just look at him who makes his desire as his God, and Allah has sent him astray despite his having knowledge, and set a seal upon his ears and his heart, and a covering upon his eyes; so who will guide him after Allah? So do you not ponder?

Hamid S. Aziz

Have you then considered him who takes his vain desire for his God, and Allah has made him err purposely (or knowingly) and has set a seal upon his ear and his heart (understanding) and put a covering upon his eye. Who can then guide him after Allah? Will you not then be mindful?

Hilali & Khan

Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god), and Allah knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth, and that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his god, and Allah has made him err having knowledge and has set a seal upon his ear and his heart and put a covering upon his eye. Who can then guide him after Allah? Will you not then be mindful?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Hast thou seen him who maketh his desire his god, and Allah sendeth him astray purposely, and sealeth up his hearing and his heart, and setteth on his sight a covering? Then who will lead him after Allah (hath condemned him)? Will ye not then heed?

Muhammad Sarwar

Have you seen the one who has chosen his desires as his lord? God has knowingly caused him to go astray, sealed his ears and heart and veiled his vision. Who besides God can guide him? Will they, then, not take heed?

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have you seen he who took his desire for a god? With knowledge, Allah has led him astray, setting a seal upon his hearing and heart, and has made a veil over his eyes, who then shall guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Have you seen him who takes his own lust as his god And Allah, left him astray with knowledge, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah Will you not then remember

Wahiduddin Khan

[Prophet], consider the one who has taken his own desire as a deity, whom God allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes -- who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not take heed?

Talal Itani

Have you considered him who has taken his desire for his god? God has knowingly led him astray, and has sealed his hearing and his heart, and has placed a veil over his vision. Who will guide him after God? Will you not reflect?

Tafsir jalalayn

Have you then seen, inform Me [about], him who has taken as his god his [own] desire, [that is] whatever [new] stone he may desire after [having desired] some other stone, considering this [new one] to be better, and whom God has led astray knowingly, on His part, exalted be He, that is to say, knowing him to be of those who follow misguidance before he was created, and set a seal upon his hearing and his heart, so that he cannot hear guidance or understand it, and laid a covering, a darkness, over his sight?, so that he cannot perceive guidance (here one should understand as implied the second direct object of [the verb] a-ra'ayta, `have you seen', namely; a-yahtad, `can he find guidance?). So who will guide him after God?, that is to say, after His leading him astray? In other words, he will not find guidance. Will you not then remember?, [will you not then] be admonished? (tadhakkarna; one of the two t' letters [of the original form tatadhakkarna] has been assimilated with the dhl).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ

Have you seen him who takes his own lust as his god,

who abides by his lust, and whatever his lust portrays as good he implements it, and whatever his lust portrays as evil, he abandons it!

Allah's statement,

وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ

And Allah left him astray with knowledge,

has two meanings.

- One of them is that Allah knew that this person deserves to be misguided, so He left him astray.

- The second meaning is that Allah led this person astray after knowledge reached him and the proof was established before him.

The second meaning includes the first meaning, but not the opposite.

Allah said,

وَخَتَمَ عَلَى سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَى بَصَرِهِ

غِشَاوَةً

and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight.

so he does not hear what benefits him, understands not what would lead him to the guidance and sees not the evidence with which he can be enlightened.

This is why Allah said,

فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَ تَذَكَّرُونَ




Who then will guide him after Allah? Will you not then remember?

Allah said in a similar Ayah,

مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

Whomsoever Allah sends astray, none can guide him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions. (7;186)