أَوَلَمْ يَتَفَكَّرُوا۟ ۗ مَا بِصَاحِبِهِم مِّن جِنَّةٍ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ 184
Translations
Then do they not give thought? There is in their companion [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] no madness. He is not but a clear warner.
Transliteration
Awalam yatafakkaroo ma bi-sahibihim min jinnah in huwa illa nadheerun mubeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the disbelievers of Mecca, asking why they do not reflect upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), noting that there is no madness (jinnah) in him—he is simply a clear warner sent by Allah. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this verse challenges the pagan Arabs' accusations of the Prophet's mental illness, while Al-Tabari notes it appeals to reason and observation: anyone observing the Prophet's character, speech, and actions would recognize his soundness of mind and divine mission.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-A'raf's broader refutation of Meccan objections to the Prophet's message. It addresses a specific accusation made by disbelievers who claimed the Prophet was possessed by jinn or mentally ill, a common charge against him during his prophetic mission in Mecca.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (4:55:632): The Prophet's companions testified to his perfect character and rationality. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the Prophet's responses to accusations of madness, where he emphasized his clear transmission of the divine message.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to critically examine accusations against righteous people and to use reason and observation rather than blind prejudice; it also reminds us that warning against falsehood and calling toward truth is the essential role of the messengers, and their integrity should be evident in their conduct.
Related Ayahs
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُۥ ۚ يَوْمَ يَأْتِى تَأْوِيلُهُۥ يَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوهُ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ فَهَل لَّنَا مِن شُفَعَآءَ فَيَشْفَعُوا۟ لَنَآ أَوْ نُرَدُّ فَنَعْمَلَ غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ ۚ قَدْ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
Do they await except its result? The Day its result comes, those who had ignored it before will say, "The messengers of our Lord had come with the truth, so are there [now] any intercessors to intercede for us or could we be sent back to do other than what we used to do?" They will have lost themselves, and lost from them is what they used to invent.
وَجَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ
And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."
قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّا لَنَرَىٰكَ فِى سَفَاهَةٍ وَإِنَّا لَنَظُنُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "Indeed, we see you in foolishness, and indeed, we think you are of the liars."
لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ فَقَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥٓ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
We had certainly sent Noah to his people, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a tremendous Day."