وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ ءَايَةً يُعْرِضُوا۟ وَيَقُولُوا۟ سِحْرٌ مُّسْتَمِرٌّ 2
Translations
And if they see a sign [i.e., miracle], they turn away and say, "Passing magic."
Transliteration
Wa-in yaraw ayatan yu'ridoo wa yaqooloo sihrun mustamirr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the stubborn rejection of the Meccan disbelievers when confronted with the signs (miracles) of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Rather than accepting the clear evidence, they turned away and dismissed it as continuous sorcery or magic. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this reflects the spiritual blindness and deliberate rejection of those whose hearts were sealed—they possessed the cognitive ability to understand but lacked the willingness to accept the truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Qamar, a Meccan surah that addresses the persistent denial of the Quraysh despite being presented with numerous miraculous signs. The surah's broader theme centers on the certainty of the Day of Judgment and warnings to those who reject divine guidance. This particular verse reflects the historical reality of Meccan opposition to the Prophet's message.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3894) where the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The most wretched of people are those who saw me and disbelieved in me' reflects the tragedy of those who witnessed clear signs yet rejected them. Additionally, Surah Al-Qamar itself references the splitting of the moon as a sign that was witnessed but rejected (54:1-2).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that intellectual capacity alone is insufficient for accepting truth—the heart must also be open and willing to submit to divine guidance. For believers, it serves as a reminder to remain humble, receptive to Allah's signs, and protective of our hearts from the spiritual disease of arrogance that leads to rejection of truth.