وَإِذَا تَوَلَّىٰ سَعَىٰ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ ٱلْحَرْثَ وَٱلنَّسْلَ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْفَسَادَ
“And when he turneth away (from thee) his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle; and Allah loveth not mischief.” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
Taberî explains the word 'fasad' (corruption) mentioned in this verse as the hypocrite's rebellion against Allah, highway robbery, and making the road dangerous; he also transmits various opinions in the interpretation of the words haris (crops) and nasl (offspring/progeny) (plant/animal offspring, human progeny, the incident of Ahnes b. Shurayk burning crops and killing animals). Ultimately, he presents his own preference, stating that although fasad can encompass all sins, the most appropriate meaning according to the literal text is highway robbery and making the road dangerous.
والصواب من القول في ذلك أن يقال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى وصف هذا المنافق بأنه إذا تولى مدبرا عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عمل في أرض الله بالفساد. وقد يدخل في الإفساد جميع المعاصي، وذلك أن العمل بالمعاصي إفساد في الأرض، فلم يخصص الله وصفه ببعض معاني الإفساد دون بعض.
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the verse describes how the person in question speaks well in the presence of the ruler, but when he leaves that presence, he endeavors to cause corruption on earth; this corruption has been interpreted in two ways: destroying property (burning crops, killing animals) and sowing doubt in the hearts of Muslims and attempting to strengthen disbelief. Razî found the interpretation of doubt/corruption that implies the destruction of crops and progeny more suitable to the composition of the verse and to the purpose of explaining the situation of the hypocrite, because the person speaks well when in the ruler's presence but engages in sedition and corruption in his absence. Furthermore, the discussion of how the Mu'tazila used this verse as evidence that Allah does not will evil, and the responses provided by Ahl al-Sunna to this, has also been examined.
والقول الأول أقرب إلى نظم الآية ، لأن المقصود بيان نفاقه ، وهو أنه عند الحضور يقول الكلام الحسن ويظهر المحبة ، وعند الغيبة يسعى في إيقاع الفتنة والفساد
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to this exegete, the concept of 'fasad' as it appears in the verse is not limited solely to Ahnes burning his crops and killing his donkeys, but is a general ruling that encompasses all kinds of corruption in speech and in matters of property, religion, or land. The phrase 'he who turned away and strived' has been interpreted both as a spiritual act (disbelief, anger, arrogance) and as a bodily act (running about on earth causing corruption, highway robbery); the phrase 'al-hars wa'n-nasl' (crops and progeny) has been explained both in the literal sense as crops and progeny and metaphorically as women and children. The word ''izzat' (might/power) has been explained with different meanings such as strength, pride, zealousness, or the intensity of the self, and is presented as a state of arrogance that leads the person to sin.
قلت : والآية بعمومها تعم كل فساد كان في أرض أو مال أو دين وهو الصحيح إن شاء الله تعالى
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kathir, this verse describes a person whose speech is crooked and whose deeds are evil; his speech is false, his belief is corrupt, and his actions are ugly. The 'sa'y' (striving) here means intent and is like what is mentioned about Pharaoh. Some exegetes have said that this verse was revealed concerning the polytheists.
أي هو أعوج المقال سيء الفعال فذلك قوله وهذا فعله كلامه كذب واعتقاده فاسد وأفعاله قبيحة والسعي ههنا هو القصد
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Baydawi, this verse describes a person who, when he turns away from the ruler's presence, endeavors to cause corruption on earth and to destroy his crops and progeny; this situation can occur as direct destruction, as Ahnes did to the Thaqif tribe, or indirectly through Allah withholding rain due to the tyranny of evil rulers. When he is told to fear Allah, ignorant tribalism and stubbornness drive him to sin, and therefore punishment in Hell is deemed sufficient for him.
سعى في الأرض ليفسد فيها ويهلك الحرث والنسل كما فعله الأخنس بثقيف إذ بيتهم وأحرق زروعهم وأهلك مواشيهم، أو كما يفعله ولاة السوء بالقتل والإتلاف، أو بالظلم حتى يمنع الله بشؤمه القطر فيهلك الحرث والنسل
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes draw attention to the contradiction in the verse between the person's words and conduct (speaking well in the ruler's presence, causing corruption in his absence) and relate 'fasad' to the tradition of Ahnes b. Shurayk burning crops and killing animals. Moreover, most exegetes accept that the phrase 'haris and nasl' can mean both the literal sense (plants and animals) and a more comprehensive corruption.
Differences
While Taberî emphasizes the meaning most suitable to the literal text as highway robbery and compromising security, Razî interprets fasad in terms of spreading doubt and strengthening disbelief and connects it to theological (Mu'tazila-Ahl al-Sunna) discussion. Qurtubi addresses the concept in the broadest framework, extending it to linguistic, variant reading, and metaphorical meanings (women and children). Ibn Kathir reduces the verse to a more general description of a 'person of bad words and deeds' and associates it with polytheists. Baydawi adds an indirect corruption interpretation, such as the withholding of rain due to tyranny, alongside direct destruction. These differences stem from differences in linguistic, tradition-based, and theological methodologies.
Historical context
From Taberî to Baydawi, the fundamental tradition (the incident of Ahnes) remains fixed, but over time the layers of interpretation have diversified: in the early period, more limited linguistic and tradition-based readings are seen, while in later exegetes, theological discussions (Razî) and broader metaphorical and philosophical developments (Qurtubi, Baydawi) are added. This shows that exegetical scholarship has become enriched through layering, while the fundamental tradition has been transmitted unchanged.
Modern connection
This verse draws attention to the importance of consistency between words and conduct; the alignment between a person's apparent good intentions and the damage their actions cause to society and nature can be thought of today as a moral measure. Furthermore, the emphasis placed on the preservation of crops and progeny can remind us of responsibility toward nature and social order, and of a constructive and service-oriented attitude. The correspondence between the meaning of one's speech and the reality of one's deed can also be related to the concept of sincerity (ikhlas).
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar