أَن تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ عَلَىٰ طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـٰفِلِينَ 156
Translations
[We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"
Transliteration
An taqoolū inna-mā unzila al-kitābu 'alā tā'ifatayn min qablināh wa-in kunnā 'an dirāsatihim lagh-āfilīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns against the excuse that the Quran was only revealed to two groups before the Muslims, and that Muslims were negligent in studying it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse addresses the Jewish and Christian claim that revelation was specific to their communities, while refuting the notion that ignorance of previous scriptures justifies neglecting the Quran. The verse emphasizes that Muslims have direct access to Allah's guidance and cannot claim heedlessness as an excuse for rejecting it.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am's broader theme of warning against shirk (polytheism) and false excuses for rejecting monotheism. It specifically addresses the Meccan polytheists' and People of the Book's rejection of the Quran by dismantling their excuse that divine revelation was exclusively given to previous nations, establishing the universality of the Quranic message.
Related Hadiths
The principle underlying this ayah relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.' This emphasizes the obligation to study and transmit the Quran, contrasting with the negligence condemned in 6:156.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that ignorance and inattention are inexcusable obstacles to understanding divine guidance, as the Quran is accessible to all believers regardless of their background. It reminds us that we cannot deflect responsibility by claiming the message was meant for others—we are directly accountable for learning and implementing the Quranic teachings in our lives.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ ٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
Say, "Travel through the land; then observe how was the end of the deniers."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلَـٰدِهِمْ شُرَكَآؤُهُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion. And if Allāh had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ
But if Allāh had willed, they would not have associated. And We have not appointed you over them as a guardian, nor are you a manager over them.
وَلَا تَسُبُّوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَدْوًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَّا لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ عَمَلَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِم مَّرْجِعُهُمْ فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And do not insult those they invoke other than Allāh, lest they insult Allāh in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them about what they used to do.