وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا وَذُرِّيَّةً ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن يَأْتِىَ بِـَٔايَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ 38
Translations
And We have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendants. And it was not for a messenger to come with a sign except by permission of Allāh. For every term is a decree.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad arsalnā rusulān min qablika wa-jaʿalnā lahum azwājan wa-dhurriyyah. Wa-mā kāna li-rasūlin an yātī bi-āyatin illā bi-idhni-llāh. Li-kulli ajalin kitāb.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that all the messengers sent before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were human beings who married, had children, and lived normal human lives—refuting any notion that prophets were supernatural beings. It establishes that no messenger can bring a miracle or sign except by Allah's permission, emphasizing that all divine authority rests solely with Allah, not with the messengers themselves. The final phrase 'for every term there is a decree' indicates that each messenger's mission and lifespan were predetermined by Allah according to His wisdom, as explained by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period as part of Surah Ar-Ra'd, addressing the Meccan polytheists' objections to the Prophet's humanity. The broader context of the surah deals with proofs of Allah's oneness and the reality of prophethood, with this ayah specifically countering the pagan Arabs' misconceptions that prophets should be angels or possess superhuman powers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'I am just a human like you' (Surah Al-Kahf 18:110). Additionally, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said: 'I am only a human; when I command you to do something, do as much of it as you can' (Sahih Bukhari 2358).
Themes
Key Lesson
Prophets were chosen by Allah despite—not because of—being superhuman, teaching us that greatness lies in obedience to Allah and moral excellence rather than in extraordinary supernatural status. This reminds us that following the Sunnah of the Prophet includes embracing our humanity, fulfilling family responsibilities, and trusting that Allah's permission and timing govern all our endeavors.