Page 346
bal qulūbuhum fī ghamratin min hādhā wa-lahum ʾaʿmālun min dūni dhālika hum lahā ʿāmilūna
Indeed, their hearts are in a stupor in regard to this, and there are other deeds besides which they perpetrate.
— Ali Quli Qarai
23Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنونVerse 63 of 118
The Believers23. Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنون
Al Mu’minūn
The Believers
MeccanVerse 63 of 118
Surah al-Mu’minun - Verse 63
63. “But their hearts are in overwhelming ignorance of this (Record), and they have, besides that, other deeds which they are doing;”
The previous verses spoke about the righteous, but this verse concerns the unbelievers, whose actions differ from those of the righteous, and the Arabic word /bal/ (but) at the beginning is for the transition of the matter. The Arabic word /qamrah/ (here translated as ‘in ignorance’)means the water or the whirlpool mat engulfs man. Thus we get the impression that they are immersed in ignorance that penetrates their very souls. Since the statement of truth only influences those who are some how awake and aware, the verse immediately adds implying that the hearts of this group of obstinate infidels have sank so deeply in ignorance that they are heedless of the Record of the deeds, on the Day of Reckoning and Retribution, and of whatever the Qur’an mentions about the Divine promise.
The verse says:
“But their hearts are in overwhelming ignorance of this (Record)...”
To be overwhelmed by ignorance and unawareness does not let them see these truths clearly which would have awoken their consciences and, perhaps, make them return to Allah. Interpreters have various opinions about the meaning of the rest of the verse, which says:
“...and they have, besides that, other deeds which they are doing;”
Some say that it refers to the wrong deeds they do because of ignorance. (Thus the word /alika/ here, translated as ‘that’, refers to their ignorance.) The Arabic word /’a‘mal/ (deeds) refers to the sins that they commit because of this very ignorance. Other commentators say that the verse means that not only do they not believe in the true doctrine but that they are also from the point of action very corrupt. Yet others say that the verse means that the program and conduct of the unbelievers are completely different from those of the believers, so they follow two different paths.
In the final analysis, these apparently different interpretations are not inconsistent and can be reconciled with each other. What is important is that the source and cause of their evil deeds is the fact that their hearts are steeped in ignorance and unawareness.