وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولًا 41
Translations
And when they see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one whom Allāh has sent as a messenger?
Transliteration
Wa-idha ra-aw-ka in yattakhidhunaka illa huzuwa, a-hadha alladhi ba'atha Allahu rasula
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the mockers of Makkah who, upon seeing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), would ridicule him and question his prophethood with sarcasm, saying 'Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a messenger?' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this reflects the arrogance and denial of the Quraysh who expected a prophet to possess worldly grandeur and power, not recognizing the spiritual authority vested in the Prophet. The ayah emphasizes their mockery (huzuwa) as a characteristic response of disbelievers to divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Furqan, revealed in Makkah during the early period of the Prophet's mission when he faced intense persecution and ridicule from the polytheists of Quraysh. The surah addresses the challenges faced by the Prophet and believers, and this specific ayah documents the mocking attitude of the disbelievers as a trial that tests the faith of the believers.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari records accounts of the Quraysh's mockery of the Prophet, including their rejection of him as a messenger. Additionally, the hadith in Tirmidhi describes how the Prophet faced ridicule while preaching monotheism, which contextualizes the broader theme of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that ridicule and mockery from disbelievers are inevitable consequences of following the truth, and such opposition should not shake one's conviction in the message. Modern Muslims should recognize that mocking the deen and its followers has occurred throughout history and will continue, yet truth ultimately prevails regardless of worldly scorn.
Related Ayahs
۞ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَوْ نَرَىٰ رَبَّنَا ۗ لَقَدِ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَعَتَوْ عُتُوًّا كَبِيرًا
And those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Why were not angels sent down to us, or [why] do we [not] see our Lord?" They have certainly become arrogant within themselves and [become] insolent with great insolence.
وَقَدِمْنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ هَبَآءً مَّنثُورًا
And We will approach [i.e., regard] what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ جُمْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِۦ فُؤَادَكَ ۖ وَرَتَّلْنَـٰهُ تَرْتِيلًا
And those who disbelieve say, "Why was the Qur’ān not revealed to him all at once?" Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart. And We have spaced it distinctly.
وَقَالُوا۟ مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۙ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُۥ نَذِيرًا
And they say, "What is this messenger that eats food and walks in the markets? Why was there not sent down to him an angel so he would be with him a warner?