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
مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوٓا۟ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Whatever you have will end, but what Allāh has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوكًا لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Allāh presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allāh! But most of them do not know.
يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."
وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
And do not exchange the covenant of Allāh for a small price. Indeed, what is with Allāh is best for you, if only you could know.