Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 101

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Those are the towns We narrate to you their important events. Surely their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they were not able to believe in what they had rejected earlier. This is how Allah seals the hearts of the disbelievers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We have narrated to you ˹O Prophet˺ some of the stories of those societies. Surely, their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but still they would not believe in what they had already denied. This is how Allah seals the hearts of the disbelievers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

These are the towns, some of whose stories We relate to you. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not about to believe in what they had already rejected. This is how Allah seals up the hearts of the disbelievers.

A. J. Arberry

Those cities We relate to thee tidings of; their Messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they were not the ones to believe in that they had cried lies before; so God seals the hearts of the unbelievers.

Abdul Haleem

We have told you [Prophet] the stories of those towns: messengers came to them, and clear signs, but they would not believe in what they had already rejected- in this way God seals the hearts of disbelievers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Those townships! We recount unto thee some tidings thereof. Assuredly there came unto them their apostles with evidences, but they were not such as to believe that which they had erst belied. Thus doth Allah put a seal upon the hearts of the infidels.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Such were the towns whose story We (thus) relate unto thee; There came indeed to them their messengers with clear (signs); But they would not believe what they had rejected before. Thus doth Allah seal up the hearts of those who reject faith.

Abul Ala Maududi

To those [earlier] communities - some of whose stories We relate to you - there had indeed come Messengers with clear proofs, but they would not believe what they had once rejected as false. Thus it is that Allah seals the hearts of those who deny the truth.

Ahmed Ali

These were the (earlier) habitations whose accounts We have given to you. Their apostles came with clear proofs, but they did not believe what they once denied. That is how God seals the hearts of those who do not believe.

Ahmed Raza Khan

These are the dwellings – the affairs of which We relate to you (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him); and indeed their (respective) Noble Messengers came to them with clear proofs; so they were not able to believe in what they had denied before; this is how Allah sets seals upon the hearts of disbelievers.

Ali Quli Qarai

These are the towns some of whose accounts We recount to you. Their apostles certainly brought them manifest proofs, but they were not the ones to believe in what they had denied earlier. Thus does Allah put a seal on the hearts of the faithless.

Ali Ünal

Those townships – We relate to you some tidings of them by way of exemplary histories (to teach you this): assuredly the Messengers came to them (chosen by God) from among themselves with clear proofs of the truth but they did not believe in that which they used to deny before. Thus does God impress the hearts of the unbelievers with a seal (that shuts them off from the affects of admonition).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Such were the (people of) townships, We have related to you some of their news. Their Messengers did indeed come to them with clear proofs but they would not believe because they had cried lies (to them) in the beginning. That is how Allâh seals up the hearts of the disbelievers.

English Literal

Those are the villages`/urban cities`, We narrate/inform on (to) you from its information/news, and their messengers had come to them with the evidences, so they were not to believe with what they denied/falsified from before, as/like that God stamps/covers/seals on the disbelievers` hearts/minds .

Faridul Haque

These are the dwellings - the affairs of which We relate to you (Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him); and indeed their (respective) Noble Messengers came to them with clear proofs; so they were not able to believe in what they had denied before; this is how Allah sets seals upon the hearts of disbelievers.

Hamid S. Aziz

Such were these cities. We do relate to you their stories. There came to them Our Messengers with manifest Signs; but they would not believe because of what they had rejected before. Thus does Allah seal up their heart of those who disbelieve.

Hilali & Khan

Those were the towns whose story We relate unto you (O Muhammad SAW). And there came indeed to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they were not such as to believe in that which they had rejected before. Thus Allah does seal up the hearts of the disbelievers (from each and every kind of religious guidance).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Is it not clear to those who inherit the earth after its (former) residents that, if We please, We would afflict them for their sins, and seal their hearts so they would not hear?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

These towns-- We relate to you some of their stories, and certainly their apostles came to them with clear arguments, but they would not believe in what they rejected at first; thus does Allah set a seal over the hearts of the unbelievers

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Such were the townships. We relate some tidings of them unto thee (Muhammad). Their messengers verily came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but they could not believe because they had before denied. Thus doth Allah print upon the hearts of disbelievers (that they hear not).

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), such were the stories of the people who lived in (different) towns in the past. We had sent Our Messengers to them with (certain) miracles but the people still did not believe in what they had rejected before. Such is how God seals the hearts of the unbelievers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Those villages We narrate their news to you. Their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, yet they would not believe what they had belied before; as such Allah seals the hearts of the unbelievers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those were the towns whose story We relate unto you. And there came indeed to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they were not such who would believe in what they rejected before. Thus Allah does seal up the hearts of the disbelievers.

Wahiduddin Khan

We have told you the stories of those towns: their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they were never going to believe in something they had already rejected. Thus God seals up the hearts of those who deny the truth.

Talal Itani

These towns—We narrate to you some of their tales. Their messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they would not believe in what they had rejected previously. Thus God seals the hearts of the disbelievers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Those towns, which have been mentioned, We relate to you, O Muhammad (s), some of their tidings, [some of] the stories of their peoples. Verily their messengers brought them clear proofs, manifest miracles, but they would not believe, when these [signs]came to them, in what they had denied, disbelieved in, before, before these [signs] came to them; nay, they persisted in disbelief. Thus does God seal up the hearts of the disbelievers.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

After narrating the stories of the people of Prophets Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut and Shu`ayb, destroying the disbelievers, saving the believers, warning these nations by explaining the truth to them with the evidence sent in the words of His Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on them all, Allah said;

تِلْكَ الْقُرَى نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ

Those were the towns that We relate to you (O Muhammad),

مِنْ أَنبَأيِهَا

their story, (and news),

وَلَقَدْ جَاءتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ

And there came indeed to them their Messengers with clear proofs,

and evidences of the truth of what they brought them.

Allah said in other Ayah,

وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً

And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). (17;15)

and,

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَأءِ الْقُرَى نَقُصُّهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا قَأيِمٌ وَحَصِيدٌ وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـهُمْ وَلَـكِن ظَلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ

That is some of the news of the towns which We relate unto you; of them, some are standing, and some have been reaped. We wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. (11;100-101)

Allah said

فَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُوْمِنُواْ بِمَا كَذَّبُواْ مِن قَبْلُ

but they were not such who would believe in what they had rejected before.

According to the Tafsir of Ibn Atiyyah,

meaning they would not have later on believed in what the Messengers brought them, because they denied the truth when it first came to them (although they recognized it),

This explanation is sound, and is supported by Allah's statement,

وَمَا يُشْعِرُكُمْ أَنَّهَأ إِذَا جَأءَتْ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ

وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْيِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُوْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

And what will make you perceive that if it came, they will not believe. And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time. (6;109-110)

This is why Allah said here,

كَذَلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللّهُ عَلَىَ قُلُوبِ الْكَافِرِينَ