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
فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
So do not assert similarities to Allāh. Indeed, Allāh knows and you do not know.
مَن كَفَرَ بِٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَـٰنِهِۦٓ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُۥ مُطْمَئِنٌّۢ بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَـٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِٱلْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Whoever disbelieves in [i.e., denies] Allāh after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allāh, and for them is a great punishment;
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.