قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ قَدْ جَآءَنَا نَذِيرٌ فَكَذَّبْنَا وَقُلْنَا مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَـٰلٍ كَبِيرٍ 9
Translations
They will say, "Yes, a warner had come to us, but we denied and said, 'Allāh has not sent down anything. You are not but in great error.'"
Transliteration
Qāloo balā qad jāāna nadhīrun fakadhdhabnā wa qulnā mā nazzala Allāhu min shay'in in antum illā fī dhalālin kabīr
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers acknowledge that a warner (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) came to them, yet they rejected him and denied that Allah revealed anything, accusing the messengers of being in grave error. Ibn Kathir explains this as the obstinate rejection of the disbelievers despite clear evidence, demonstrating their willful denial and arrogance in contradicting the divine message. Al-Tabari notes that this admission of receiving the warning makes their rejection even more condemnable, as they are without excuse before Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Mulk's theme of divine sovereignty and accountability on the Day of Judgment. It depicts the scene of the disbelievers in the afterlife being questioned about their response to the messengers during their earthly life, emphasizing how they will be confronted with the reality of their rejection.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad' (Sahih Muslim 867). Related thematically: 'Whoever follows my guidance will neither go astray nor be miserable; whoever turns away from it will have a miserable and narrow life' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2863).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejecting clear guidance from Allah despite receiving it is inexcusable and will result in severe accountability. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of accepting divine truth with humility rather than allowing pride and preconceptions to blind us to the signs of Allah.
Related Ayahs
أَمَّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۥ ۚ بَل لَّجُّوا۟ فِى عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ
Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have persisted in insolence and aversion.
تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ٱلْغَيْظِ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أُلْقِىَ فِيهَا فَوْجٌ سَأَلَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَآ أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَذِيرٌ
It almost bursts with rage. Every time a company is thrown into it, its keepers ask them, "Did there not come to you a warner?"
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ
It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection.
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَـٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with lamps [i.e., stars] and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.