Quran Universe
10:97

وَلَوۡ جَآءَتۡهُمۡ كُلُّ ءَايَةٍ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ

Walaw jaathum kullu ayatin hatta yarawoo alAAathaba alaleema

Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful punishment.

Word by word
  1. وَلَوۡEven if
  2. جَآءَتۡهُمۡcomes to them
  3. كُلُّevery
  4. ءَايَةٍSign
  5. حَتَّىٰuntil
  6. يَرَوُاْthey see
  7. ٱلۡعَذَابَthe punishment
  8. ٱلۡأَلِيمَthe painful
Yunus · 10:97Makkah

Even every sign would not move them until it was too late.

When signs are not the problem

Every sign
angels sent downthe dead speaking
still
no beliefuntil the punishment
like
Firaun at seafaith too late
What was missing
the right signthe perfect proof
a willing heartno sign replaces it

Ibn Kathir cites the verse: even if We sent angels, and the dead spoke to them, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed. Their belief would only come when it could no longer benefit them, as with Firaun.

You have watched a dozen reminder videos this month, nodded at each, and changed nothing. The next video will not do it either. One small action will do more than another sign.

One more reminder and I will finally change.

It is not signs I lack. It is a willing heart and one first step.

Try this

Skip the next reminder video today, and act on the last one you already watched.

Related6:111
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 10:94)

So if you are in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto you, then ask those who are reading the Book before you. Verily, the truth has come to you from your Lord. So be not of those who doubt (it)(94)And be not one of those who belie the Ayat of Allah, for then you shall be one of the losers (95)Truly, those, against whom the Word of your Lord has been justified, will not believe (96)Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment (97)

Previous books Attest to the Truth of the Qur'an

Allah said:

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ

(Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written of with them in the Tawrah and the Injil.)(7:157) They are as certain of this as they are about who their children are, yet they hide it and distort it. They did not believe in it despite its clear evidence. Therefore Allah said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ آيَةٍ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) meaning they would not believe in a way that they might benefit from that belief. This is when they believe at a time one may not be able to benefit from his belief. An example is when Musa prayed against Fir'awn and his chiefs, saying:

رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ

(Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment.)(10:88) And Allah said:

وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ

(And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly.)(6:111) Allah then said: