Aal-i-Imraan 3:176
Surah Aal-i-Imraan, Verse 176 - Translation, Tafsir & Analysis
Verse Definition & Meaning
Meaning & Definition
Ali 'Imran 3:176 contains Allah's tender consolation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): 'Do not grieve over those who rush into disbelief; they cannot harm Allah in the least.' This verse addresses the Prophet's natural compassion and concern for humanity's spiritual welfare, particularly his sadness when people stubbornly rejected divine guidance despite clear signs. According to authentic tafsir, this divine comfort came during a period when hypocrites and disbelievers were actively working against Islam, causing distress to the Prophet who genuinely desired their guidance. The verse reassures that their efforts are ultimately futile against Allah's plan, as divine wisdom ensures they 'will have no share in the hereafter and will face great punishment.' Classical scholars explain this reflects Allah's attribute of Al-Hakeem (The Wise), who sometimes allows apparent temporary success to disbelievers to test believers' faith and to let wrongdoers reach their full measure of sin before divine justice manifests. The phrase 'yurid Allah alla yaj'ala lahum hazan fi'l-akhirah' (Allah wills to give them no portion in the hereafter) indicates that their worldly gains are not signs of divine approval but rather opportunities for increased accountability. This verse provides eternal comfort to believers facing apparent injustice, reminding them that ultimate justice belongs to Allah alone.
This definition is based on classical Islamic scholarship and authentic interpretations from recognized scholars.
Verse Wallpapers & Visual Content
وَلَا يَحۡزُنۡكَ الَّذِيۡنَ يُسَارِعُوۡنَ فِىۡ الۡكُفۡرِۚ اِنَّهُمۡ لَنۡ يَّضُرُّوۡا اللّٰهَ شَيْئًا ؕ يُرِيۡدُ اللّٰهُ اَلَّا يَجۡعَلَ لَهُمۡ حَظًّا فِىۡ الۡاٰخِرَةِۚ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌ
Word By Word —
Word By Word —
Wala yahzunka allatheenayusariAAoona fee alkufri innahum lan yadurroo Allahashay-an yureedu Allahu alla yajAAala lahum haththanfee al-akhirati walahum AAathabun AAatheem
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Surah Aal-i-Imraan Ayah 176
Find answers to common questions about the meaning, interpretation, and significance of this verse in Islamic teachings and daily life.
❓What is the meaning and context of Ali 'Imran 3:176 about divine comfort?
Ali 'Imran 3:176 contains Allah's comforting words to Prophet Muhammad: 'Do not grieve over those who rush into disbelief; they cannot harm Allah in the least.' This verse addresses the Prophet's natural compassion for humanity and his sadness when people rejected divine guidance. It reassures that disbelievers' efforts against Islam are ultimately futile and that divine justice will prevail in the hereafter.
❓Why does Allah tell the Prophet not to grieve over disbelievers?
Allah comforts the Prophet because his compassionate nature made him deeply concerned for all humanity's spiritual welfare. The Prophet would naturally feel sadness when people chose disbelief despite clear guidance. Allah reassures him that their rejection does not diminish divine truth or plan, and that ultimate justice belongs to Allah alone, removing the burden of their spiritual fate from the Prophet's shoulders.
❓How do those who rush to disbelief fail to harm Allah?
Allah is absolutely self-sufficient and beyond any need or vulnerability. Disbelievers cannot diminish Allah's power, authority, or divine plan regardless of their efforts. Their opposition only harms themselves by depriving them of divine guidance and spiritual benefits. Allah's sovereignty remains intact whether people believe or disbelieve, making their resistance ultimately futile against divine will.
❓What does 'no share in the hereafter' mean for disbelievers?
This phrase indicates that those who persistently reject faith will be completely excluded from the rewards, mercy, and blessings of the afterlife. While they may enjoy temporary worldly success, they forfeit eternal happiness and divine favor. Their entire spiritual capital will be exhausted in this world, leaving them with nothing but punishment in the hereafter, representing complete spiritual bankruptcy.
❓Why does Allah allow apparent temporary success to disbelievers?
According to Islamic theology, Allah's wisdom (hikmah) sometimes allows disbelievers temporary worldly success for several reasons: to test believers' faith and patience, to let wrongdoers reach their full measure of sin and accountability, to distinguish between genuine believers and hypocrites, and to demonstrate that worldly success is not a sign of divine approval. This temporary reprieve ultimately increases their spiritual liability.
❓What comfort does this verse offer to modern believers facing injustice?
This verse provides profound comfort by reminding believers that apparent worldly injustice is temporary and that ultimate justice belongs to Allah. It encourages spiritual perspective over immediate material concerns, assures that wrongdoers cannot ultimately triumph over divine truth, and reminds believers that their role is to maintain faith and righteousness rather than to control others' spiritual choices.
❓How does this verse demonstrate Allah's attribute of divine wisdom (Al-Hakeem)?
The verse reveals Allah's wisdom in managing human affairs through apparent contradictions: allowing disbelievers temporary success while ensuring their ultimate spiritual failure, comforting believers through divine perspective rather than immediate vindication, and using trials to purify and strengthen faith. This demonstrates that divine wisdom operates on a higher plane than immediate human understanding or expectations.
❓What is the 'great punishment' mentioned for those who disbelieve?
The 'great punishment' (adhab azeem) refers to the severe divine retribution awaiting persistent disbelievers in the hereafter. This includes both the psychological torment of realizing their spiritual failure and the physical punishment of Hell. The term 'great' emphasizes both the intensity and duration of this punishment, contrasting sharply with any temporary worldly success they may have enjoyed.
❓How does this verse relate to the concept of divine patience (hilm) in Islam?
This verse exemplifies Allah's divine patience (hilm) by showing how He allows time for people to make spiritual choices without immediate punishment. Divine patience is not weakness but wisdom, giving individuals opportunities for repentance while building their accountability. However, this patience has limits, and persistent rejection eventually leads to divine justice, demonstrating the balance between mercy and justice in Allah's nature.
❓What practical guidance does this verse offer for dealing with opposition to faith?
The verse teaches believers to maintain emotional equilibrium when facing religious opposition, to trust in divine justice rather than seeking immediate vindication, to focus on their own spiritual development rather than others' choices, and to understand that apparent success of wrongdoers is temporary and ultimately meaningless. It encourages patience, spiritual perspective, and continued commitment to truth regardless of external circumstances.
Translations & Commentary
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