فَكَذَّبُوهُمَا فَكَانُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْلَكِينَ 48
Translations
So they denied them and were of those destroyed.
Transliteration
Fakazzaboohuma fakanu minal muhlakeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the people of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) who rejected and denied them as messengers, resulting in their destruction. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the people's rejection of these two prophets led to their inevitable downfall and ruin. The ayah emphasizes that those who reject Allah's messengers ultimately bring upon themselves divine punishment and annihilation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the broader Meccan context of Surah Al-Mu'minun, which recounts stories of previous prophets and their peoples. The passage discusses Musa and Harun's mission to Pharaoh and his people, illustrating the pattern of prophetic rejection that recurs throughout history—a theme meant to console the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the Meccan opposition he faced.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'Every nation has a term, and when their term comes to an end, they cannot delay it nor advance it by an hour.' This reflects the divine decree of punishment for those who persistently reject their messengers.
Themes
Key Lesson
Rejecting Allah's guidance and His messengers leads inevitably to ruin and loss, while accepting the message brings salvation. This serves as a profound reminder that turning away from divine truth carries grave spiritual and material consequences in both this life and the hereafter.
Related Ayahs
إِنْ حِسَابُهُمْ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ رَبِّى ۖ لَوْ تَشْعُرُونَ
Their account is only upon my Lord, if you [could] perceive.
وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَكْنَا ٱلْقُرُونَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا۟ ۙ وَجَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ لِيُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
And We had already destroyed generations before you when they wronged, and their messengers had come to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. Thus do We recompense the criminal people.
وَيَـٰقَوْمِ هَـٰذِهِۦ نَاقَةُ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ ءَايَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْكُلْ فِىٓ أَرْضِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوٓءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابٌ قَرِيبٌ
And O my people, this is the she-camel of Allāh - [she is] to you a sign. So let her feed upon Allāh's earth and do not touch her with harm, or you will be taken by an impending punishment."
وَأَصْحَـٰبُ مَدْيَنَ ۖ وَكُذِّبَ مُوسَىٰ فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نَكِيرِ
And the inhabitants of Madyan. And Moses was denied, so I prolonged enjoyment for the disbelievers; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My reproach.