Surah Al-Baqarah 2:74
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 74 of 286
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةًۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Translation
Even after that, your hearts became as hard as rocks, or even harder, for there are rocks from which streams spring out, and some from which water comes when they split open, and others which fall down in awe of God: He is not unaware of what you do.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse addresses the Children of Israel, following a series of divine signs and miracles, including the extraordinary event of a slain man being brought back to life to identify his killer. Allah, the All-Knowing, is speaking directly, conveying a strong rebuke and astonishment at their spiritual state.
The Weight of "Then"
The verse opens with the word "ثُمَّ" (thumma), meaning "then." Ibn Ashur highlights that this "then" is not just about time passing, but about a significant shift in ranking or expectation. It implies a sense of deep astonishment: *despite* all the overwhelming miracles and proofs that should have softened their hearts, they instead hardened. The phrase "مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ" (min ba'di dhalika), "after that," further emphasizes this disbelief. It's like saying, "How could this happen *after* everything you witnessed?" Ibn Ashur explains that "after" here also carries the sense of "with" or "despite," underscoring that their hearts remained unyielding even in the face of such clear, repeated signs.
Harder Than Stone
The Quran describes their state with "قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ" (qasat qulubukum), "your hearts hardened." This word, *qaswah*, literally describes something firm and unyielding. When applied to hearts, as al-Razi notes, it signifies their inability to be affected by guidance or admonition, becoming resistant to change and goodness. This hardened state is then compared to stones: "فَهِيَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً" (fa hiya kal hijarati aw ashadd qaswah), "so they are like stones, or even harder."
The particle "فَـ" (fa), meaning "so," shows that this comparison immediately flows from the description of their hardened state, as stones are the prime example of hardness. The word "أَوْ" (aw), "or," here is profound. Scholars like Ibn Ashur, al-Zamakhshari, and al-Razi explain it's not about Allah being unsure. Rather, it signifies a transition to a stronger, more accurate statement, akin to "rather" or "even more." It's as if Allah is saying, "If you think they're like stones in hardness, know that they are even more severe in their unyielding nature." This choice of "أشد قسوة" (ashadd qaswah - more severe in hardness), instead of just "aqsa" (harder), emphasizes the extreme degree of their spiritual insensitivity.
A Stone's Humility
The verse then beautifully illustrates *why* their hearts are worse than mere stones by listing three ways stones are more responsive:
1. "لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ" (lama yatafajjaru minhu al-anhar): From some stones, vast rivers burst forth.
2. "لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ" (lama yashshaqqaqu fayakhruju minhu al-ma'): Others crack open, allowing water to spring out.
3. "لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ" (lama yahbitu min khashyatillah): And some even fall down from awe of Allah.
Ibn Ashur and al-Zamakhshari explain that "خشية الله" (khashyatillah - awe of Allah) here is a metaphor. Stones, though inanimate, submit completely to Allah's natural, cosmic commands. They erode, crack, and give way as Allah wills, yielding life-giving water or falling according to divine decree. Their physical obedience stands in stark contrast to the hearts of the Children of Israel, which were meant to respond to Allah's legislative commands but remained stubbornly disobedient.
A Clear Warning
The verse concludes with a stern warning: "وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ" (Wa mallahu bi ghafilin 'amma ta'malun), "And Allah is not unaware of what you do." This powerful closing statement assures them that their actions, and the state of their hearts, are fully known to Allah, carrying a clear implication of accountability and consequence.
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn
Connections
This verse opens with a stark observation about the human heart, particularly after witnessing profound divine signs. Allah addresses the Children of Israel, describing how, despite experiencing numerous miracles, like the dead being brought back to life in the preceding story of the cow, their hearts became hardened. The tone is one of rebuke and profound disappointment.
The Hardening of Hearts
The verse states, "Then your hearts became hard after that, so they were like stones or even harder in hardness" (ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً). The word *thumma* (then) here, as explained by al-Wasit, conveys a sense of astonishment and remoteness. It highlights how utterly unexpected it was for hearts to harden *after* such undeniable proof of God's power. The "that" (ذَٰلِكَ) refers to the spectacular miracles just recounted, including the revival of the murdered man, as well as the string of earlier blessings and signs. The comparison to stones (كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ) is used because stone's hardness is universally recognized. Yet, their hearts are described as "or even harder" (أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً), implying an extreme, almost inconceivable degree of insensitivity. This "or" can be understood as an intensification, suggesting "indeed, even harder," reflecting the profound depth of their spiritual insensitivity.
A Contrast with Creation
The verse then makes a powerful comparison, distinguishing these hearts from even inanimate stones: "And indeed, there are stones from which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them that split open and water comes out, and indeed, there are of them that fall down in awe of Allah" (وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ). Here, Allah shows that even rocks, though lifeless, respond to His commands and His majesty in various ways. They can be sources of life-giving rivers and springs, or they can humble themselves and fall from mountains out of *khashyah*, a deep, knowing awe of Allah. Al-Biqa'i links this last point to the stones falling from Mount Tur when Allah manifested His glory, a moment of profound divine presence that caused the mountain itself to crumble. This serves as a reminder that these hearts, despite being capable of understanding and choice, had become more unresponsive than unfeeling matter. As al-Shinqiti notes, this hardening often stems from breaking covenants and from the passage of long periods of time, which dulls spiritual awareness.
A Concluding Warning
The verse concludes with an unmistakable warning: "And Allah is not unaware of what you do" (وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ). As al-Wasit explains, this is a clear threat. It reminds those addressed, and by extension all of us, that every action and every state of the heart is known to Allah. Their continued stubbornness and rejection of truth after witnessing such manifest signs would not go unrecorded or unpunished. This highlights a recurring theme in Surah Al-Baqarah: the chronic disobedience, excessive questioning, and resistance to divine commands exhibited by the Children of Israel, serving as a cautionary tale for all who receive God's guidance. It invites us to ponder the state of our own hearts in the face of Allah's countless signs and blessings.
Sources: al-Biqa'i (Nazm al-Durar), al-Shinqiti (Adwa al-Bayan), al-Wasit (Tantawi), al-Sabuni (Safwat al-Tafasir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:74 is discussed in 13 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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