وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَـٰهُ عَلَىٰ بَعْضِ ٱلْأَعْجَمِينَ 198
Translations
And even if We had revealed it to one among the foreigners
Transliteration
Wa law nazzalnahu 'ala ba'd al-a'jameen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of Allah's rhetorical challenge regarding the Qur'an's miraculous nature, stating 'And if We had sent it down upon some of the non-Arabs (whose language is not Arabic).' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that even if the Qur'an had been revealed to non-Arabs in a foreign language, they would not have been able to deny its miraculous eloquence and divine origin, demonstrating the universality of the Qur'an's message and the inimitability of its linguistic perfection. The verse underscores that the Qur'an's miracle transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which extensively addresses the disbelief of the Meccan polytheists and defends the authenticity of the Qur'an against their accusations. The verse is part of a broader argument (ayahs 192-227) defending the Qur'an's divine origin and responding to the objections of those who claimed it was merely poetry or the work of a soothsayer.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the Qur'an being a healing and mercy is thematically related, as is the hadith about the Qur'an's status as the greatest miracle of the Prophet ﷺ, emphasizing its universal and timeless nature.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that the truth of Islam and the Qur'an's message is not dependent on cultural or linguistic barriers, but rather its divine origin is evident to sincere seekers regardless of their background. For modern readers, it emphasizes that spiritual truth is universal and accessible to all humanity who seek it with open hearts.