وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لَهُمْ وَمَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ 211
Translations
It is not allowable for them, nor would they be able.
Transliteration
Wa mā yanbaghī lahum wa mā yastaṭī'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that it is neither befitting nor within the capability of the devils (jinn) to bring down the Qur'an or to have authored it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse refutes the false claims of the polytheists who attributed the Qur'an to demonic inspiration or poetic invention. The verse emphasizes that the Qur'an's perfection and divine origin are beyond the reach and ability of any created being, including the jinn.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the context of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, which addresses the accusations of the Meccan polytheists who claimed the Prophet (peace be upon him) was either a poet or possessed by jinn. The surah systematically refutes these false allegations by demonstrating the Qur'an's divine characteristics and the Prophet's truthfulness through references to previous prophets.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: 'The most terrible lie is to claim that one has dreamed something one has not dreamed' - relevant to refuting false attributions of the Qur'an's origin. Also relevant is the hadith about the Qur'an being preserved in the hearts of the believers (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reassures believers that the Qur'an's authenticity and preservation are guaranteed by Allah, free from the reach of evil forces or human manipulation. For modern readers, it reinforces confidence in the Qur'an as a divinely protected text despite historical or contemporary attempts to discredit its origins.