4:167

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ ضَلَٰلَۢا بَعِيدًا

Inna allatheena kafaroo wasaddoo AAan sabeeli Allahi qad dalloo dalalan baAAeedan

Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah have certainly gone far astray.

Word by word
  1. إِنَّIndeed
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  3. كَفَرُواْdisbelieve
  4. وَصَدُّواْand hinder
  5. عَنfrom
  6. سَبِيلِ(the) way
  7. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  8. قَدۡsurely
  9. ضَلُّواْthey have strayed
  10. ضَلَٰلَۢاstraying
  11. بَعِيدًاfar away
An-Nisa · 4:167Madinah

Losing your way is one thing. Blocking others is further still.

Rejecting the truth and stopping others from it


Two steps away
disbelieverefuse the truth
then
block othersfrom Allah's way
so
far astray
What I pass on
my choice onlyaffects only me
I shape others tootoward or away

Ibn Kathir explains that these people not only refused to follow the truth themselves, they worked hard to stop others from embracing it. That is why they have strayed so far. The verse looks at what we do to other people's path, not only our own.

You tease your younger brother for starting to pray. You tell a friend fasting is pointless. You think it is just a joke. The verse asks you to notice that your words can push someone away from Allah, or toward Him.

My attitude to religion only affects me.

My words can open or close the way to Allah for someone else.

Try this

Encourage one person today in a good step they are taking toward Allah.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 4:166)

But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you; He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Witness (166)Verily, those who disbelieve and prevent (others) from the path of Allah; they have certainly strayed far away (167)Verily, those who disbelieve and did wrong; Allah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way (168)Except the way of Hell, to dwell therein forever; and this is ever easy for Allah (169)O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger with the truth from your Lord. So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.) Allah's stateme (170)

إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ

(Verily, We have inspired you...)[4:163] emphasized the Prophet's prophethood and refuted the idolators and People of the Scripture who denied him. Allah said,

لَّٰكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ

(But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you,) meaning, even if they deny, defy and disbelieve in you, O Muhammad, Allah testifies that you are His Messenger to whom He sent down His Book, the Glorious Qur'an that,

لَّا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) Allah then said,

 أَنزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ

(He has sent it down with His knowledge,) The knowledge of His that He willed His servants to have access to. Knowledge about the clear signs of guidance and truth, what Allah likes and is pleased with, what He dislikes and is displeased with, and knowledge of the Unseen, such as the past and the future. This also includes knowledge about His honorable attributes that no sent Messenger or illustrious angel can even know without Allah's leave. Similarly, Allah said,

 وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ

(And they will never compass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills.)[2:255] and,

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا

(but they will never compass anything of His knowledge.) Allah's statement,

وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ

(and the angels bear witness.) to the truth of what you came with and what was revealed and sent down to you, along with Allah's testimony to the same,

وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا

(And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Witness.) Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا

(Verily, those who disbelieve and prevent (others) from the path of Allah, they have certainly strayed far away.)

For they are disbelievers themselves and do not follow the truth. They strive hard to prevent people from following and embracing Allah's path. Therefore, they have defied the truth, deviated, and strayed far away from it. Allah also mentions His judgment against those who disbelieve in His Ayat, Book and Messenger, those who wrong themselves by their disbelief and hindering others from His path, committing sins and violating His prohibitions. Allah states that He will not forgive them;

وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقًا

(nor will He guide them to a way (that is, of good).)[4:168]

إِلَّا طَرِيقَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا

(Except the way of Hell, to dwell therein forever...)[4:169] and this is the exception. Allah then said,

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ

(O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger with the truth from your Lord, so believe in him, it is better for you.) This Ayah means, Muhammad ﷺ has come to you with guidance, the religion of truth and clear proof from Allah. Therefore, believe in what he has brought you and follow him, for this is better for you. Allah then said,

وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

(But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.) Allah is far too rich than to need you or your faith, and no harm could ever affect Him because of your disbelief. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ إِن تَكْفُرُوا أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

(And Musa said: "If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich (Free of all needs), Owner of all praise.") Allah said here,

وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا

(And Allah is Ever All-Knowing,) He knows those who deserve to be guided, and He will guide them. He also knows those who deserve deviation, and He leads them to it,

حَكِيمًا

(All-Wise) in His statements, actions, legislation and all that He decrees.