Surah As-Saffat 37:29
سُورَةُ الصَّافَّاتِ · Meccan · Verse 29 of 182
قَالُوا۟ بَل لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
Translation
They will say, ‘No! It was you who would not believe-
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
On the Day of Judgment, when the followers accuse their leaders of misguiding them, the leaders vehemently deny responsibility. This verse captures their sharp retort: `قَالُوا۟ بَل لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ` (They said, "Rather, you were not believers."). This specific wording carries powerful implications, revealing a profound denial and shifting of blame.
The Force of "Rather"
The word `بل` (bal), translated here as "rather," is not a gentle correction. As al-Jadwal and Ibn Ashur explain, it serves as a strong repudiation, an "invalidating disclaimer." The leaders are not simply adding a point; they are rejecting the very premise of the followers' accusation that they were led astray from faith. It's as if they are saying, "You claim we misguided you, but that claim is baseless. The truth is, you were never believers to begin with." This blunt rebuttal immediately places the burden of responsibility back onto the followers.
"You Were Not Believers"
The choice of `لم تكونوا مؤمنين` (you were not believers) is particularly insightful. Ibn Ashur highlights that this phrase, using the verb `كانوا` (to be) in the past tense, implies more than simply `لم تؤمنوا` (you did not believe). If the verse had said "you did not believe," it would imply a failure to perform an action. However, `لم تكونوا مؤمنين` suggests that faith was never a characteristic or an inherent state of the followers. It means, as al-Razi and al-Jalalayn explain, that they were not *described* as believers, so the leaders could not have removed them from something they never possessed.
This distinction underscores the followers' active choice and internal disposition. Al-Zamakhshari notes that they "rejected faith and turned away from it, despite being able to have it, choosing disbelief over it, not being compelled to it." The leaders are essentially saying, "It wasn't our influence that turned you from faith; it was your own deeply ingrained rejection of it from the outset." This emphasizes personal accountability for one's state of heart and belief, even when facing external pressures or temptations.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah As-Saffat 37:29 is discussed in 3 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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