لَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَـٰرُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ 15
Translations
They would say, "Our eyes have only been dazzled. Rather, we are a people affected by magic."
Transliteration
Laqalū innamā sukkirat absārunā bal naḥnu qawmun masḥūrūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents the disbelieving Quraysh's response to the miraculous signs shown to them, claiming their eyes have been dazzled or covered and attributing the phenomenon to magic cast upon them rather than acknowledging divine truth. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the disbelievers' insistence on attributing clear signs to sorcery demonstrates their willful rejection and spiritual blindness—they refuse to see reality as it is presented before them, preferring instead to rationalize away the truth through false explanations.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Al-Hijr's broader discussion of how the disbelievers of Mecca responded to the Prophet's message and the signs of Allah. The context addresses the obstinacy of those who witnessed the Prophet's miracles and clear preaching yet persisted in denial, attributing divine signs to magic or witchcraft rather than accepting the truth.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet (ﷺ) said regarding those who turn away from signs: 'The heart becomes sealed when one repeatedly rejects the truth.' Additionally, the theme of wilful blindness to signs is discussed in various ahadith about the characteristics of those who reject faith despite clear evidence.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that clear evidence and miraculous signs alone cannot guide those whose hearts are sealed by arrogance and prejudice; true guidance requires sincere openness of heart. It also warns against the danger of rationalizing away truth through false explanations when confronted with undeniable reality.
Related Ayahs
يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَـٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ
Who will bring you every learned magician."
فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
And said, "I am your most exalted lord."
لَوْ أَنَّ عِندَنَا ذِكْرًا مِّنَ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
"If we had a message from [those of] the former peoples,
أَوْ تَقُولُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَكُنَّآ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْهُمْ ۚ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ ۚ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا ۗ سَنَجْزِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْدِفُونَ
Or lest you say, "If only the Scripture had been revealed to us, we would have been better guided than they." So there has [now] come to you a clear evidence from your Lord and a guidance and mercy. Then who is more unjust than one who denies the verses of Allāh and turns away from them? We will recompense those who turn away from Our verses with the worst of punishment for their having turned away.