Verse Meaning

According to the classical exegete Imam Al-Tabari, who synthesizes the views of early scholars like Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, verse 107:2 provides the first tangible characteristic of one who denies the Day of Judgment: he is 'the one who repulses the orphan.' This act, as explained across numerous tafsirs including that of Ibn Kathir, is not a gentle push but a harsh, oppressive act of driving the orphan away and denying them their rights. The Arabic verb 'yadu'u' (يَدُعُّ) signifies a violent shove, reflecting the inner hardness of a heart that lacks compassion and fears no accountability. As Imam Al-Qurtubi notes, this behavior was characteristic of pre-Islamic ignorance where the vulnerable were denied their inheritance and rights. Therefore, this verse powerfully establishes a direct link between outward social cruelty, specifically towards the most vulnerable, and the inward corruption of disbelief in the Hereafter.