وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَإِذْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌ قَدِيمٌ 11
Translations
And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, "If it had [truly] been good, they would not have preceded us to it." And when they are not guided by it, they will say, "This is an ancient falsehood."
Transliteration
Wa qala alladhina kafaru lilladhina amanu law kana khayran ma sabaquna ilayh. Wa idh lam yahtadu bih fa sayaqulun hadha ifkun qadim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers argue against the believers by claiming that if Islam were truly good, they would have embraced it first, thereby questioning the validity of the Message based on their own precedence in rejection. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that when the disbelievers fail to find guidance in the Quran despite their arguments, they resort to dismissing it as ancient fabrications or recycled myths from previous nations. This ayah exposes the logical fallacy and spiritual blindness of those who reject truth out of pride and stubbornness rather than genuine seeking.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ahqaf, a Meccan chapter revealed during the early persecution of Muslims in Mecca. The context addresses the accusations and counterarguments made by the Quraysh disbelievers against the early Muslim community. The surah documents various objections raised by the Meccan polytheists and provides divine responses to their rhetorical challenges.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing that embracing the Quran comes from sincere seeking, not from worldly precedence. Additionally, 'Whoever Allah wishes to guide, He expands his chest to Islam; and whoever He wishes to leave astray, He makes his chest tight and constricted' (Sahih Muslim 214), illustrating that guidance is a divine gift, not determined by who came first.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not be discouraged by the objections and arrogance of disbelievers, as their rejection often stems from spiritual blindness and pride rather than rational deliberation. This ayah reminds us that being first to accept or reject something is not a measure of its truth; instead, we should seek guidance through sincere hearts and open minds, recognizing that Allah's guidance is not bound by human precedence or social status.