إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوْلُ ٱلْبَشَرِ 25
Translations
This is not but the word of a human being."
Transliteration
In hādhā illā qawlu al-bashar
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers of Mecca dismissed the Qur'an as merely human speech, denying its divine origin. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this was the Arabs' attempt to rationalize away the miraculous nature of the Qur'an by attributing it to Muhammad's own composition. This ayah exposes their stubborn rejection despite the clear signs and inimitable eloquence of Allah's word.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Muddaththir, which addresses the disbelievers' objections to the Qur'an and the Prophet's message. The Meccans frequently attributed the Qur'an to human authorship as a means of refuting the Prophet's claim of prophethood, and Allah responds by highlighting the absurdity and blindness of such accusations.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3.97) records that the Qur'an was called a 'magic' and 'poetry' by the disbelievers—related to this theme of attributing human origins to divine revelation. Additionally, the hadith about the challenge of producing a surah like the Qur'an (emphasizing its inimitability) relates to refuting claims of human authorship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that those who reject truth often resort to baseless accusations and denial rather than sincere inquiry. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder to examine the Qur'an's linguistic and spiritual excellence objectively, and to maintain faith despite the doubts and criticisms of others.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ نَظَرَ
Then he considered [again];
وَمَا جَعَلْنَآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً ۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَيَزْدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنًا ۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۙ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَمَا هِىَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allāh intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allāh send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And it [i.e., mention of the Fire] is not but a reminder to humanity.
فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ
And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others].
وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُۥ تَمْهِيدًا
And spread [everything] before him, easing [his life].