مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِي وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ ﴿۱۷۸﴾ وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُولَئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ ﴿۱۷۹﴾

﴾178﴿ Mai yahdil laahu fa huwal muhtadee wa mai yudlil fa ulaaa'ika humul khaasiroon
﴾179﴿ Wa laqad zara'naa li jahannama kaseeran minal jinni wal insi lahum quloobul laa yafqahoona bihaa wa lahum a'yunul laa yubisiroona bihaa wa lahum aazaanul laa yasma'oona bihaa; ulaaa'ika kal an'aami bal hum adall; ulaaa'ika humul ghaafiloon

﴾178﴿ Whoever Allah guides, then he is rightly guided; and whoever He lets go astray—then they are the losers.
﴾179﴿ Indeed, We have created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle—rather, they are even more astray. These are the heedless ones.

[178] This verse relates to the first theme (da‘wah ūlā) of the Surah, which is the call to tawḥīd (monotheism). In it, two groups are mentioned—these groups become clear after the parable that was just given (the example of the dog).
From this verse onward, the series of warnings (zawājir) begins, and this is the first warning. It sets the tone for what follows by dividing people into two categories: those who accept guidance and benefit from it, and those who reject it and are thus destroyed.
[179] This verse relates to the second call (da‘wah thāniyah) of the Surah, and just like the previous verse which mentioned the second group, this verse now describes their condition. It is also the second warning (zajr thānī).
Question: In Surah adh-Dhāriyāt, Allah says that He created jinn and humans only to worship Him, while in this verse it is stated that they were created for Hell. How do we reconcile this?
Answer: The verse in Surah adh-Dhāriyāt refers to the legislative purpose (ghāyah tashrī‘iyyah)—meaning what they were commanded and intended to do: worship. This verse, however, refers to the existential or actual outcome (ghāyah takwīnīyyah)—what ultimately happened due to their choices: they became deserving of Hell.
(لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ) – This indicates that although they possess the faculties of knowledge, those faculties are wasted and ineffective—similar to the verse "خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ" (“Allah has set a seal upon their hearts”).
The comparison to animals is because, just like animals, their only purpose seems to be eating, drinking, and fulfilling desires. (بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ) – They are even more misguided than animals. Why? Because animals still have an instinctive awareness—they recognize harm and benefit, they know their owner and follow him. But these people do not recognize their Creator, nor do they follow His commands. Hence, they are in a worse condition than beasts.