وَمَآ أَنتَ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَإِن نَّظُنُّكَ لَمِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ 186
Translations
You are but a man like ourselves, and indeed, we think you are among the liars.
Transliteration
Wa mā anta illā basharun mithlunā wa in nażunnuka lamin al-kādhībīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This verse records the objection of the people of 'Ād against their prophet Hūd, claiming he was merely a human like themselves and accusing him of lying. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the disbelievers used his humanity as a pretext to reject his message, failing to understand that prophethood is compatible with human nature and that divine guidance comes through human messengers. Al-Qurtubi notes this reflects the arrogant reasoning of those who demand miracles while simultaneously dismissing the messenger's humanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the account of Prophet Hūd's mission to the people of 'Ād in Surah Ash-Shu'ara. The broader context shows how the 'Ādites rejected Hūd's monotheistic message, using his ordinary human appearance and origin as grounds for dismissal—a common pattern of rejection throughout the Quran where disbelievers deny prophets based on their humanity rather than evaluating the truth of their message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'I am only a human being like you' (Sunan Ibn Mājah 3942), affirming that prophethood does not necessitate superhuman status. Additionally, the Quran addresses similar objections in Surah Yāsīn (36:15) where messengers respond to this exact criticism about being 'merely humans.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that a messenger's humanity is not a defect but rather a mercy from Allah, allowing believers to relate to and learn from their example. Modern readers should recognize that valid spiritual guidance can come through ordinary humans, and we must judge truth by its content and evidence rather than dismissing it based on superficial human characteristics.