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
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا۟ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allāh has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allāh, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.
وَقَدْ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَكْرُ جَمِيعًا ۖ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ ٱلْكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَـْٔخِرِينَ
And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].