وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 43
Translations
And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.
Transliteration
Wa mā arsalnā min qablika illā rijālan nūḥā ilayhim, fas'alū ahlad-dhikri in kuntum lā ta'lamūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that all messengers sent before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were human beings to whom Allah revealed His message, not angels or divine beings. The ayah directs the listeners to consult the People of Knowledge (ahl al-dhikr) - referring to the scholars of earlier scriptures or Islamic knowledge - if they doubt or lack understanding. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes the humanity of the prophets while affirming the reality of divine revelation, and it encourages seeking knowledge from those well-versed in religious understanding.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah An-Nahl, which addresses the polytheists' objections to Muhammad's prophethood. The context addresses the disbelievers' skepticism about receiving a human messenger, and the verse responds by clarifying that all previous prophets were also men, not angels, encouraging them to verify this through the People of the Book and scholars.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim where Prophet Muhammad said, 'The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it,' relates to the emphasis on seeking and spreading knowledge. Additionally, the hadith about consulting the People of Knowledge (ahl al-'ilm) in matters of faith is consistent with the directive in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
When facing uncertainty in matters of faith and knowledge, Muslims should turn to qualified scholars and those versed in religious sciences rather than relying on conjecture or doubt. This ayah teaches that prophethood is a divine grace granted to selected humans through whom Allah communicates His guidance to humanity.