Surah Al-Baqarah 2:86
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 86 of 286
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
Translation
These are the people who buy the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter: their torment will not be lightened, nor will they be helped.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse addresses those among the Children of Israel who, despite having received clear divine covenants, chose to disregard parts of them. Allah is speaking directly, delivering a powerful rebuke and a solemn warning about the consequences of their actions: prioritizing this fleeting world over the eternal Hereafter.
The Ultimate Exchange
The verse begins by describing these individuals as "أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ" (Those are the ones who bought the worldly life for the Hereafter). The word "اشتروا," meaning "they bought" or "they exchanged," is crucial here. As Imam al-Razi explains, Allah uses the vivid metaphor of a business transaction, buying and selling, to condemn their choice. It implies that they *gave away* something immensely valuable (the Hereafter) for something far less significant (the worldly life). It's presented as a deeply flawed bargain, akin to someone in this world making such a poor trade that their judgment is questioned. Ibn Ashur notes that this phrasing, "أولئك الذين اشتروا," is used in the Quran to definitively mark those who have made a clear, regrettable choice. The term "الدنيا" (ad-dunya) itself, meaning "the lowest" or "the nearest," highlights the inferior and temporary nature of what they chose, in stark contrast to "الآخرة" (al-akhirah), which signifies the ultimate and eternal abode.
An Unrelenting Consequence
This poor exchange leads directly to severe outcomes, introduced by the conjunction "فَ" (fa), meaning "then" or "therefore." The verse continues: "فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ" (then the torment will not be lightened for them). This "fa" establishes a direct, undeniable cause-and-effect relationship between their choice and their punishment, as both al-Razi and Ibn Ashur point out. The word "يُخَفَّفُ" (yukhawwaf), meaning "to be lightened," is profoundly significant. Al-Razi explains that this negation is comprehensive: it means the torment will neither decrease in intensity at any point, nor will it ever cease. It is an absolute statement of unremitting, constant punishment.
No Hope of Aid
Finally, the verse declares: "وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ" (nor will they be helped). The inclusion of "هم" (they) before "ينصرون" (will be helped) emphasizes that *they themselves* will find no one to assist them. Both al-Razi and Ibn Ashur confirm that this refers to the Hereafter, where no intercession or ransom will be accepted for those who have made such a detrimental choice. There will be no ally, no defender, and no way to escape the consequences of their actions.
This ayah, through its precise wording, compels us to ponder the choices we make daily, reminding us of the immense value of the Hereafter and the dire consequences of neglecting it for the transient pleasures of this world.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:86 is discussed in 5 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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