Surah Al-Baqarah >> Currently viewing Surah Baqarah Ayat 88 (2:88)

Surah Baqarah Ayat 88 in Arabic Text

وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفُۢۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَقَلِيلٗا مَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
Wa qaaloo quloobunaa ghulf; bal la’anahumul laahu bikufrihim faqaleelam maa yu’minoon

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 88

Sahih International
And they said, “Our hearts are wrapped.” But, [in fact], Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe.

Yusuf Ali
“They say, “Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah’s Word: we need no more).” Nay, Allah’s curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe.

Abul Ala Maududi
They say, “Our hearts are secure.” Nay, the fact is that Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so they are little disposed to believe.

Muhsin Khan
And they say, “Our hearts are wrapped (i.e. do not hear or understand Allah’s Word).” Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.

Pickthall
And they say: Our hearts are hardened. Nay, but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief. Little is that which they believe.

Dr. Ghali
And they said, “Our hearts are encased.” No indeed, (but) Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so, little do they believe.

Abdel Haleem
They say, ‘Our hearts are impenetrably wrapped [against whatever you say],’ but God has rejected them for their disbelief: they have little faith.

Muhammad Junagarhi
یہ کہتے ہیں کہ ہمارے دل غلاف والے ہیں نہیں نہیں بلکہ ان کے کفر کی وجہ سے انہیں اللہ تعالیٰ نے ملعون کردیا ہے، ان کا ایمان بہت ہی تھوڑا ہے

Quran 2 Verse 88 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Baqarah ayat 88, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(2:88) They say: “Our hearts are well-protected.”[94] No! The fact is that Allah has cursed them because of their denying the Truth. So, scarcely do they believe.


94. They said, in effect, that they were so staunch in their beliefs that their convictions would remain unaffected regardless of what was said. Such a claim is the hallmark of those bigots whose minds are seized by irrational prejudice. Nothing can be a matter of greater shame for human beings than the so-called firmness of conviction which they often boast of. What can be more foolish than adherence to inherited beliefs and convictions when their falseness is established by overwhelmingly strong arguments?

Ibn-Kathir

88. And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.” Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.


Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,

﴿وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ﴾

(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”), means, “Our hearts are screened.” Mujahid also said that,

﴿وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ﴾

(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”), means, “They are covered.”`Ikrimah said, “There is a stamp on them.” Abu Al-`Aliyah said, “They do not comprehend.” Mujahid and Qatadah said that Ibn `Abbas read the Ayah in a way that means, “Our hearts contain every type of knowledge and do not need the knowledge that you (O Muhammad) have.” This is the opinion of `Ata’ and Ibn `Abbas.

﴿بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ﴾

(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief) meaning, “Allah expelled them and deprived them of every type of righteousness.” Qatadah said that the Ayah,

﴿فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(So little is that which they believe.) means, “Only a few of them believe.” Allah’s statement,

﴿وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ﴾

(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”) is similar to His statement,

﴿وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ﴾

(And they say: “Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us) (41:5).

This is why Allah said here,

﴿بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.) meaning, “It is not as they claim. Rather, their hearts are cursed and stamped,” just as Allah said in Surat An-Nisa’ (4:155),

﴿وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً﴾

(And of their saying: “Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say) ـ nay, Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little.)

There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah’s statement,

﴿فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(So little is that which they believe.) and His statement,

﴿فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً﴾

(So they believe not except a few). Some scholars said that the Ayat indicate that a few of them would believe, or that their faith is minute, because they believe in Resurrection and in Allah’s reward and punishment that Musa foretold. Yet, this faith will not benefit them since it is overshadowed by their disbelief in what Muhammad brought them. Some scholars said that the Jews did not actually believe in anything and that Allah said,

﴿فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(So little is that which they believe), meaning, they do not believe. This meaning is similar to the Arabic expression, “Hardly have I seen anything like this,” meaning, “I have never seen anything like this.”

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surah baqarah ayat 88
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