Surah Al-Kahf 18:57
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ · Meccan · Verse 57 of 110
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
Translation
Who could be more wrong than the person who is reminded of his Lord’s messages and turns his back on them, ignoring what his hands are storing up for him [in the Hereafter]? We have put covers over their hearts, so they cannot understand the Quran, and We put heaviness in their ears: although you call them to guidance [Prophet] they will never accept it.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'And who is more wrong than one who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, then turns away from them and forgets what his hands have sent forth? We have placed coverings over their hearts, lest they understand it, and deafness in their ears.' Ibn Ashur and al-Saadi note the grave progression, being reminded, then turning away, then the heart itself becoming covered ('akinna') as a consequence of the repeated turning. Ask yourself: turning away from a reminder is not a neutral act with no cost. This verse shows it hardening, over time, into an actual covering of the heart, each refusal thickening the veil until understanding can no longer get through. The capacity to be moved is not permanent; it can be lost through neglect. Every reminder I brush aside makes the next one land a little less. What reminders am I in the habit of turning from, and am I aware that the turning itself is slowly sealing my heart?
Grounded in classical tafsir: Ibn Ashur, al-Saadi, al-Biqa'i.
Wording
This powerful verse from Surah Al-Kahf addresses the profound injustice of turning away from clear guidance. It speaks to those who, despite being presented with Allah's evident signs, choose to avert their gaze and forget their own deeds.
The Ultimate Wrongdoer
The verse opens with a rhetorical question, "وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ" (And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the signs of his Lord?). This isn't a question seeking an answer, but a declaration that there is *no one* more unjust. It highlights the immense gravity of the act being described. The "signs of his Lord" (آيات ربه), as explained by scholars like al-Zamakhshari, primarily refer to the Quran itself, with its clear messages and admonitions. The phrase "ذُكِّرَ" (was reminded) indicates that the guidance came to them, not that they sought it out.
Following this, the verse says "فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا" (then he turned away from them). The Arabic particle "فَاء" (fa) here, as noted by Ibn Ashur, implies immediate succession. This suggests that the turning away was not a slow process of consideration but a swift, perhaps even defiant, rejection without any pause for reflection or contemplation. This individual also "وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ" (and forgot what his hands had sent forth). Ibn Ashur clarifies that "نسي" (forgot) here doesn't mean a literal lack of memory, but rather a deliberate act of ignoring or overlooking the consequences of their past bad actions. "What his hands had sent forth" is a common Quranic expression for one's deeds, particularly negative ones, as Ibn Ashur points out.
Sealed Hearts and Ears
The verse then explains the consequence of such persistent rejection: "إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا" (Indeed, We have placed coverings over their hearts, lest they understand it, and in their ears, deafness). "أَكِنَّةً" (akinna) are thick coverings or shields, as described by al-Jalalayn. This means their hearts, which are the seat of understanding and wisdom, are veiled, preventing them from grasping the truth. Similarly, "وَقْرًا" (waqra) refers to a heaviness or deafness in their ears, making them unable to truly hear and benefit from the divine message. Al-Zamakhshari notes that the pronoun "ـوه" (hu) in "يَفْقَهُوهُ" (understand it) refers back to the Quran and its profound message. This spiritual sealing is not arbitrary but a divine consequence of their initial and persistent choice to turn away and disregard their deeds.
A Finality of Rejection
The verse concludes with an emphatic statement: "وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا" (And if you invite them to guidance, they will never be guided, then, ever). Ibn Ashur highlights the profound emphasis in this ending. The particle "لَنْ" (lan) signifies a strong, definitive negation. This is further reinforced by "أَبَدًا" (abadan), meaning "ever" or "forever," indicating that this state of misguidance will endure throughout their period of accountability, as al-Zamakhshari notes. The word "إِذًا" (idhan, then) connects their ultimate inability to be guided to the preceding spiritual state of sealed hearts and ears, clarifying that this is a consequence of their choices and Allah's decree in response. It underscores the ultimate futility of inviting those who have willfully and irrevocably sealed themselves off from guidance.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Kahf 18:57 is discussed in 11 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Kahf 18:57 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.