Quran Universe
3:86

كَيۡفَ يَهۡدِي ٱللَّهُ قَوۡمٗا كَفَرُواْ بَعۡدَ إِيمَٰنِهِمۡ وَشَهِدُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱلرَّسُولَ حَقّٞ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتُۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

Kayfa yahdee Allahu qawman kafaroo baAAda eemanihim washahidoo anna alrrasoola haqqun wajaahumu albayyinatu waAllahu la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena

How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and had witnessed that the Messenger is true and clear signs had come to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Word by word
  1. كَيۡفَHow
  2. يَهۡدِي(shall) guide
  3. ٱللَّهُAllah
  4. قَوۡمٗاa people
  5. كَفَرُواْ(who) disbelieved
  6. بَعۡدَafter
  7. إِيمَٰنِهِمۡtheir belief
  8. وَشَهِدُوٓاْand (had) witnessed
  9. أَنَّthat
  10. ٱلرَّسُولَthe Messenger
  11. حَقّٞ(is) true
  12. وَجَآءَهُمُand came to them
  13. ٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتُۚthe clear proofs
  14. وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
  15. لَا(does) not
  16. يَهۡدِيguide
  17. ٱلۡقَوۡمَthe people
  18. ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ[the] wrongdoers
Ali 'Imran · 3:86Madinah

Turning away after seeing the clear signs.

When the proof was already in your hands

What they had
beliefonce held
witnessthe Messenger is true
clear signscame to them
then
turned backinto darkness
Why it is grave
I never knewa different case
I knew and lefta willing leap into blindness

Ibn Abbas reported that a man of the Ansar accepted Islam, then left and joined the idolaters. He later regretted it and sent his people to ask if he could repent. These verses came down, through to Allah is Forgiving, Merciful, and he returned.

You saw an answered dua. You felt peace in a prayer you can still remember. Then a busy year, a new circle, and it all feels distant. Forgetting what you once saw clearly. The man in this story still came back.

What I felt back then was just a phase.

The signs I once saw were real. Walking away from them is the danger, and the way back is still open.

Try this

Write down one moment you clearly felt Allah's help. Keep it where you will see it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger is true and after clear proofs came to them? And Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoer (86)They are those whose recompense is that on them (rests) the curse of Allah, of the angels and of all mankind (87)They will abide therein. Neither will their torment be lightened nor will it be delayed or postponed (88)Except for those who repent after that and do righteous deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (89)

Allah Does Not Guide People Who Disbelieve After they Believed, Unless They Repent

Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said, "A man from the Ansar embraced Islam, but later reverted and joined the polytheists. He later on became sorry and sent his people to, 'Ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for me, if I can repent.' Then,

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ

(How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief) until,

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) was revealed and his people sent word to him and he re-embraced Islam."

This is the wording recorded by An-Nasa'i, Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban. Al-Hakim said, "Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it."

Allah's statement,

كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُوا بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُوا أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ

(How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and after they bore witness that the Messenger is true and after clear proofs came to them?)

means, the proofs and evidences were established, testifying to the truth of what the Messenger was sent with. The truth was thus explained to them, but they reverted to the darkness of polytheism. Therefore, how can such people deserve guidance after they willingly leapt into utter blindness? This is why Allah said,

وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

(And Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.)

He then said,

أُولَٰئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

(They are those whose recompense is that on them (rests) the curse of Allah, of the angels and of all mankind.)

Allah curses them and His creation also curses them.

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا

(They will abide therein) in the curse,

لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ

(Neither will their torment be lightened nor will it be delayed or postponed.) for, the torment will not be lessened, not even for an hour. After that, Allah said,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Except for those who repent after that and do righteous deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)

This Ayah indicates Allah's kindness, graciousness, compassion, mercy and favor on His creatures when they repent to Him, for He forgives them in this case.