An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 55 of 176

An-Nisa 4:55

فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا

“And some among them believed in it,[194] and some among them were averse to it. And sufficient is Hell as a blaze.”

Saheeh International

Essence

One message divides its hearers: some believe, some turn away and bar the road, and for those who refuse, the kindled Fire is enough.

A reflection

The same pages, two kinds of letters

Fa-minhum man āmana bihi wa-minhum man ṣadda ʿanhu: some of them believed in it, and some of them turned away from it.

The commentators read 'it' in more than one way. It may be the message sent down to the Prophet ﷺ. It may be what was given to the family of Ibrahim, in the ayah just before. Either way, the pattern is the same. One message, one audience, two responses.

One classical theologian reads the ayah as consolation for the Prophet ﷺ. Every earlier prophet, he says, saw the same thing. Some of his people believed, some stayed in denial. So do not be astonished at what these people do. Another classical commentator makes the same point through Ibrahim. Some of his own family believed and some refused, and that did not lessen him at all. Neither does their refusal lessen you.

Picture a woman who has spent years translating the Quran's meanings into plain English. Every week the post brings letters. Some say it changed their lives, that they read it on a night shift and wept. Others say it is dangerous nonsense and she should be ashamed. Every one of those letters came from reading the same pages.

She used to measure her work by the second pile. Now she reads them, makes du'a for the writers, and returns to her desk.

This is a hard truth for anyone who teaches, parents, leads or invites. A divided response is not proof that the message failed. It is what every true message has always met.

Your task is to deliver it well, with honesty and gentleness. The response belongs to each listener, and the outcome to Allah.

So if some have turned away from what you offered, check your manner, not just their reaction. Then keep going.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.