وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُم مَّاذَآ أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ ۙ قَالُوٓا۟ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 24
Translations
And when it is said to them, "What has your Lord sent down?" they say, "Legends of the former peoples,"
Transliteration
Wa-idha qila lahum madha anzala rabbukum qalu asatiru al-awwalin
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the disbelievers of Makkah were asked what their Lord has revealed, they dismissively responded that it was merely 'tales of the ancients' (asatir al-awwalin)—attributing the Qur'an to inherited folklore rather than divine revelation. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah illustrates the arrogant rejection of the Qur'an's divine origin, wherein the Quraysh deliberately mischaracterized the Qur'an's miraculous content as recycled mythology to avoid acknowledging its truth and their accountability.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nahl's broader Meccan context, addressing the persistent denials of the pagan Arabs who heard the Qur'an during the Prophet Muhammad's early preaching. The surah repeatedly documents how the disbelievers responded to the message with mockery and false accusations, making this ayah representative of a common refrain used to dismiss the Qur'an's authenticity.
Related Hadiths
The response of disbelievers calling the Qur'an 'asatir' is referenced in Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:83, with similar refrains appearing throughout the Qur'an. Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet (ﷺ) was deeply grieved by such rejections, which motivated revelations addressing these accusations.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that truth is often rejected by those who prioritize ego and inherited beliefs over evidence, reminding believers to remain steadfast in faith despite ridicule and to approach the Qur'an with genuine hearts seeking understanding rather than predetermined dismissal.
Related Ayahs
ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا فُتِنُوا۟ ثُمَّ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ وَصَبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Then, indeed your Lord, to those who emigrated after they had been compelled [to say words of disbelief] and thereafter fought [for the cause of Allāh] and were patient - indeed, your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful
يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
They recognize the favor of Allāh; then they deny it. And most of them are disbelievers.
وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ
And be patient, [O Muḥammad], and your patience is not but through Allāh. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.
وَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلسَّلَمَ ۖ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
And they will impart to Allāh that Day [their] submission, and lost from them is what they used to invent.