نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَىٰٓ إِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا 47
Translations
We are most knowing of how they listen to it when they listen to you and [of] when they are in private conversation, when the wrongdoers say, "You follow not but a man affected by magic."
Transliteration
Nahnu a'lamu bima yastami'una bihi idh yastami'una ilayka wa-idh hum najwa idh yaqulu al-zalimun in tattabi'una illa rajulan mashuran
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah asserts His complete knowledge of what the disbelievers listen to when they hear the Prophet's message, and of their secret conversations wherein they mockingly claim that the believers follow only a bewitched man. This ayah emphasizes Allah's omniscience regarding both overt and hidden opposition to the Prophet. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this revelation was a source of comfort to the Prophet, assuring him that Allah witnesses and is fully aware of the mockery and rejection he faced, and that such accusations of sorcery were common Meccan objections to discredit his message.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra, a Meccan surah dealing with the disbelievers' rejection and mockery of the Prophet Muhammad. The context reflects the specific accusations leveled against him in Mecca, where polytheists claimed he was bewitched (mashurun) to explain away his persuasive preaching, rather than acknowledging the truth of his message.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of the Prophet's patience against mockery is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet was told to ignore those who mock the verses of Allah. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah records that the Prophet faced accusations of being possessed or bewitched, which he patiently endured as a test from Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's knowledge encompasses all hidden thoughts and secret conversations, providing reassurance that injustice, mockery, and false accusations do not escape His awareness. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to have trust in Divine justice and to maintain patience when facing ridicule or rejection for one's faith, knowing that Allah fully witnesses and will ultimately judge all matters.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَىُّ ٱلْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓا۟ أَمَدًا
Then We awakened them that We might show which of the two factions was most precise in calculating what [extent] they had remained in time.
سَوَآءٌ مِّنكُم مَّنْ أَسَرَّ ٱلْقَوْلَ وَمَن جَهَرَ بِهِۦ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍۭ بِٱلَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌۢ بِٱلنَّهَارِ
It is the same [to Him] concerning you whether one conceals [his] speech or publicizes it and whether one is hidden by night or conspicuous [among others] by day.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ بِٱلْحُسْنَى
And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
And establish prayer and give zakāh, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. Indeed Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.