Surah Muhammad 47:16
سُورَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ · Medinan · Verse 16 of 38
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُوا۟ مِنْ عِندِكَ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ
Translation
Some of these people listen to you [Prophet], but, once they leave your presence, they sneer at those who have been given knowledge, saying, ‘What was that he just said?’ These are the ones whose hearts God has sealed, those who follow their own desires.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens a window into the behavior of a particular group of people during the time of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: the hypocrites. Allah is speaking directly to the Prophet, exposing those who outwardly appear to listen to his words but harbor deceit within their hearts. The tone is one of revelation and severe rebuke.
Pretended Listening
The ayah begins, "وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ" (And among them are those who listen to you). The Arabic word used here, *yastami'u* (يستمع), is from the root for "listening intently" or "paying close attention," as Ibn Ashur notes, stronger than mere "hearing." It suggests they put on a show of keen interest. They attend the Prophet's gatherings, sitting there as if eager to absorb every word, whether it be from the Quran or his teachings.
The Mocking Question
However, this facade quickly crumbles. "حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُوا۟ مِنْ عِندِكَ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًا" (until, when they depart from your presence, they say to those who were given knowledge, "What did he say just now?"). Their question is telling. The word "آنِفًا" (aanifan) means "just now" or "a moment ago." As al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn explain, it refers to something said in the very recent past.
Ibn Ashur delves deeper into this word, explaining that its root can imply "the beginning of something" or "freshness," like a new cup that hasn't been drunk from. This question, "What did he say just now?" reveals their true state. It's not a genuine inquiry from someone who struggled to understand, but rather a question of mockery and disdain, as al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi highlight. They either genuinely did not comprehend due to their heedlessness, or they feigned ignorance to belittle the message, or even to subtly suggest the Prophet's words were unclear, aiming to sow doubt among the believers. One rare reading of *aanifan* (أنِفًا) implies "in a state of disdain or arrogance," which perfectly captures their internal posture of contempt.
Sealed Hearts
The verse concludes with a stark pronouncement: "أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ" (Those are the ones upon whose hearts Allah has set a seal, and they have followed their desires). The demonstrative pronoun "أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ" (those) emphasizes and points them out, highlighting their blameworthy actions.
"طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ" (Allah has set a seal upon their hearts) describes a spiritual state. As Ibn Ashur explains, this is a powerful metaphor: their hearts, or minds, have become like a sealed book or a container from which nothing can enter or exit. It means their intellects have been made unresponsive to guidance and truth. This is not an arbitrary act from Allah, but a consequence of their choices: their contempt, mockery, and refusal to truly listen. Because they abandoned the truth, "وَاِتَّبَعُوا أَهْواءَهُمْ" (and followed their desires), Allah's system is that their hearts become sealed against the very guidance they scorned. Their superficial listening leads to profound spiritual blindness.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Muhammad 47:16 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
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