Surah Maryam 19:77
سُورَةُ مَرۡيَمَ · Meccan · Verse 77 of 98
أَفَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَقَالَ لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًۭا وَوَلَدًا
Translation
Have you considered the man who rejects Our revelation, who says, ‘I will certainly be given wealth and children’?
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse opens with a question that immediately draws our attention, inviting us to ponder an astonishing scenario. Allah asks, أَفَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَقَالَ لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًۭا وَوَلَدًا (Afara'ayta allathee kafara bi'ayatina waqala la'ooutayanna malan wawala-dan) – "Have you, [O Prophet], seen the one who disbelieved in Our verses and said, 'I will surely be given wealth and children [in the Hereafter]?'" This is not merely a question; it's an invitation to marvel at a particular kind of human arrogance.
An Astonishing Sight
The very beginning of the verse, أَفَرَءَيْتَ (Afara'ayta), combines an interrogative "A" (meaning 'is it so?') with the conjunction "fa" (meaning 'so' or 'then') and the word for "have you seen." As Ibn Ashur and al-Zamakhshari explain, while "ra'ayta" literally means "you saw," here it's used metaphorically to mean "have you been informed?" or "do you know about?" The wording elevates this disbeliever's story to something so remarkable and audacious that it's as if you're witnessing it with your own eyes. It compels the listener to pay close attention, highlighting the profound disbelief and the astounding claim that follows.
The Disbeliever's Bold Claim
The verse then describes ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا (allathee kafara bi'ayatina) – "the one who disbelieved in Our verses." This description, rather than a direct name, emphasizes the gravity of his actions against God's clear signs, which include the verses about the Resurrection. The context tells us this refers to al-As ibn Wa'il, a prominent disbeliever who scoffed at the idea of the afterlife.
What makes his statement so startling is the emphatic way he utters it: لَأُوتَيَنَّ مَالًۭا وَوَلَدًا (la'ooutayanna malan wa waladan) – "I will surely be given wealth and children." The word لَأُوتَيَنَّ carries significant weight. As Mahmud Safi points out, the starting "la" (لَ) is a "lam al-qasam," used for an oath, making the statement a strong assertion: "I *swear* I will be given." This is further intensified by the "nun al-tawkid" (نَّ), the emphatic 'N' at the end of the verb, meaning "I will *most certainly* be given." He's not merely hoping; he's declaring with absolute conviction that he's entitled to this, despite his disbelief. He claims wealth and children – the ultimate symbols of worldly success and status – as if they are his guaranteed possessions in the Hereafter. This reveals a mindset that projects materialistic values onto the spiritual realm, failing to grasp the true nature of God's justice or the reality of the afterlife.
A Reflection for Us
The precise wording of this verse invites us to consider our own expectations and assumptions. Do we, like this disbeliever, sometimes project our worldly desires and sense of entitlement onto our spiritual lives or the Hereafter? Do we assume that certain blessings are our due, even when our actions contradict the path of faith? The Quran's detailed choice of words here serves as a powerful reminder to approach Allah's promises with humility and genuine understanding, rather than arrogant demands.
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Maryam 19:77 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Maryam 19:77 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.