قَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتُضْعِفُوا۟ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـٰلِحًا مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلَ بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ 75
Translations
Said the eminent ones who were arrogant among his people to those who were oppressed - to those who believed among them, "Do you [actually] know that Ṣāliḥ is sent from his Lord?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which he was sent, are believers."
Transliteration
Qala al-mala'u alladhina istakbaru min qawmihi lilladhina istudu'ifu liman amana minhum ataalamun anna salihan mursalun min rabbihi qalu inna bima ursila bihi mu'minun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The arrogant leaders of Salih's people mockingly asked the weak believers if they knew that Salih was truly sent by his Lord, to which the believers confidently affirmed their faith in the message he brought. This ayah illustrates the contrast between the arrogant disbelievers who rejected the truth out of pride and the humble believers who accepted it with certainty. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this exchange demonstrates how faith transcends social status—the weak believers possessed stronger conviction than the powerful disbelievers despite their inferior worldly standing.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Prophet Salih and the Thamud people in Surah Al-A'raf, a Meccan surah addressing the Quraysh's rejection of the Prophet Muhammad. The account of Salih's mission parallels the Meccan rejection of Prophet Muhammad, serving as a historical warning about the consequences of arrogance and disbelief. The broader context illustrates how the arrogant elite throughout history resisted divine messengers while the oppressed masses embraced faith.
Related Hadiths
The Quran mentions this story extensively, and Sahih Bukhari includes hadiths about the people of Thamud. A related principle is found in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'Whoever is humble for the sake of Allah, Allah raises him,' emphasizing how humility before Allah leads to true honor, contrasting with the arrogance of Salih's people.
Themes
Key Lesson
True faith and conviction are not dependent on wealth, power, or social status, but rather on sincerity of heart and humility before Allah. The ayah teaches that genuine believers should not be deterred by the mockery or opposition of the powerful, as their faith in divine truth supersedes worldly considerations.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ إِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَقُصُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِى ۙ فَمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
O children of Adam, if there come to you messengers from among you relating to you My verses [i.e., scriptures and laws], then whoever fears Allāh and reforms - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِىٓ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا۟ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ قَالُوا۟ لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And when regret overcame them and they saw that they had gone astray, they said, "If our Lord does not have mercy upon us and forgive us, we will surely be among the losers."
وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, "Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds [i.e., peoples]?
وَأَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَانُوا۟ يُسْتَضْعَفُونَ مَشَـٰرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَغَـٰرِبَهَا ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا ۖ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ ۖ وَدَمَّرْنَا مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِرْعَوْنُ وَقَوْمُهُۥ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْرِشُونَ
And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western ones, which We had blessed. And the good word [i.e., decree] of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.