وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ 36
Translations
And he had already warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the warning.
Transliteration
Wa laqad andharhum baṭshatanā fatamārū bin-nudhur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to how Allah warned the people of 'Ad (the context of Surah Al-Qamar) with signs of His punishment, yet they disputed and rejected the warnings brought by the Prophet Hud. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, despite clear evidential signs (ayat) of Allah's power and forthcoming punishment, they stubbornly denied and debated the authenticity of the warnings themselves, showing their willful rejection of truth. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that their dispute (tamāra) about the warnings demonstrated not ignorance but arrogance and obstinate denial.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Surah Al-Qarap which recounts the stories of various nations who rejected Allah's messengers. The immediate context discusses the people of 'Ad and their rejection of Prophet Hud's message. This surah was revealed in Mecca during a period when the Quraysh similarly rejected the Prophet Muhammad's warnings, making the historical parallels particularly relevant to the early Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The theme of rejecting warnings parallels the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet Muhammad said: 'The example of the guidance and the knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth; some of which was very fertile soil that absorbed the water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance; and some of which was hard compacted earth that could not hold the water.' This illustrates how people respond differently to divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that rejecting divine guidance often stems not from lack of evidence, but from arrogance and willful denial; believers should reflect on how they respond to reminders and warnings, ensuring they do not fall into the trap of disputing clear truths out of pride or attachment to worldly desires.