Surah Al-Maidah — Verse 71

Key Words and Phrases:

• حَسِبُوا (Hasibū): They assumed, thought, or reckoned.
• فِتْنَةٌ (Fitnah): Here, it means punishment, trial, or calamity as a consequence of sin.
• فَعَمُوا (Faʿamū): They became blind — meaning blind to the truth and guidance.
• وَصَمُّوا (Wa Ṣammū): They became deaf — meaning deaf to hearing and accepting the truth.
• تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ (Thāba Allāhu ʿalayhim): Allah turned to them in mercy and accepted their repentance.
• بَصِيرٌ (Baṣīr): All-Seeing, fully aware of all things.

Explanation of the Verse:

These people — the Children of Israel — had broken their covenants with Allah, rejected His messengers, and even killed some of them. Yet, they foolishly assumed that no punishment or trial would ever befall them for their grave transgressions. They thought they could sin endlessly and escape the consequences. This false sense of security led them further astray: they became blind to the clear signs of truth and deaf to the call of guidance, refusing to see or hear what was right before them.

Then, in His infinite mercy, Allah sent them trials and tribulations to awaken their hearts. When they finally turned back to Him in sincere repentance, He accepted their repentance out of His grace and kindness — for Allah is ever ready to forgive those who return to Him. But then, a large number of them fell back into the same state of blindness and deafness. After the truth had become crystal clear to them, they still chose to close their eyes and stop their ears, persisting in their stubbornness and disobedience.

And Allah is All-Seeing of everything they do — nothing escapes His knowledge. He sees their deeds, whether good or evil, and He will recompense them accordingly with perfect justice.

A Call to Reflection and Action:

This verse carries a profound lesson for every believer. It warns us against the dangerous illusion that we can persist in sin without facing consequences. Some people deceive themselves into thinking that Allah's mercy will always shield them, while they continue to disobey Him — forgetting that His mercy is for those who repent sincerely, not for those who persist in arrogance.

The verse also highlights the incredible mercy of Allah: even after repeated failures, He accepts the repentance of His servants. But it equally warns us not to take this mercy for granted by falling back into heedlessness after being guided. True success lies in opening our eyes to the truth, opening our ears to the divine message, and remaining steadfast on the path of righteousness. Let us not be among those who see the truth yet turn away from it, or hear the call of guidance yet ignore it. Allah sees all that we do — let us strive to make our deeds pleasing to Him, and let us never despair of His mercy, nor ever become complacent in our obedience.