Surah Qaf 50:24
سُورَةُ قٓ · Meccan · Verse 24 of 45
أَلْقِيَا فِى جَهَنَّمَ كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍۢ
Translation
‘Hurl every obstinate disbeliever into Hell,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens with a powerful, direct command from Allah after the Day of Judgment, spoken to the two angels responsible for each person: the driver and the witness. The instruction is to cast into Hell every individual defined by a profound level of disbelief and obstinacy. This command carries an undeniable weight and certainty.
The Dual Command
The word `أَلْقِيَا` (Alqiya), meaning "both of you throw," is a dual form. Ibn Ashur notes this plural addressing the two angels, the driver and the witness, who escorted the person to judgment. However, scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Jalalayn also point out that in Arabic, a dual form can sometimes be used to address a single person for emphasis, or because it was common for travelers to have two companions. Regardless of whether it literally refers to two angels or is an emphatic address to one, the dual form highlights the absolute, unwavering nature of this divine decree. It is a command that brooks no delay or question, executed with full authority.
The Described Sinner
The verse then describes *who* is to be thrown into Hell with the words `كُلَّ كَفَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ` (kulla kaffarin 'aneed).
* The term `كَفَّارٍ` (Kaffar) is a powerful, intensive form of the word for disbeliever. Scholars like Ibn Ashur and al-Razi explain that this isn't just someone who disbelieved; it signifies one who is "strong in disbelief" or "severe and persistent in disbelief." It describes someone whose heart is saturated with denial, constantly rejecting the truth and disbelieving in Allah's signs and blessings.
* Following this is `عَنِيدٍ` (Aneed), another intensive term meaning "obstinate" or "stubborn." Ibn Ashur describes an 'aneed as someone who is "strong in obstinacy," engaging in "stubborn resistance and pushing away the truth" even when they know it deep down. This person is not merely mistaken; they actively resist and defy clear guidance.
Together, these two words paint a stark picture: a person whose disbelief is not a fleeting doubt but a deep-seated characteristic, compounded by a stubborn, defiant refusal to accept the truth despite its clarity. The specific choice of these intensive forms emphasizes the gravity of their spiritual condition and the justice of their ultimate destination.
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Qaf 50:24 is discussed in 4 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Qaf 50:24 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.