۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ 57
Translations
And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.
Transliteration
Wa-lamma duriba ibnu Maryama mathalan idha qawmuka minhu yasdidun
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the example of Jesus (son of Mary) was presented to the Meccan polytheists, they turned away from it in rejection and ridicule. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to the disbelievers' mockery when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned Jesus as a messenger and servant of Allah, contradicting their false beliefs about his divinity. The ayah illustrates the stubbornness of those who reject clear signs and prefer their inherited idolatrous traditions over monotheistic truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zukhruf, a Meccan chapter addressing the Quraysh's rejection of monotheism and their clinging to idol worship. The surah refutes their arguments and presents Jesus as evidence of Allah's power and oneness—a figure they knew from the People of the Book—yet they still rejected the message, demonstrating the hardness of their hearts.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3445) where the Prophet described how the disbelievers mocked him when he presented proofs, similar to their rejection of Jesus as a sign. Additionally, Surah 19:88-92 (Maryam) contains related content about the disbelievers' false claims regarding Jesus and Allah's response to their blasphemy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that truth, no matter how clear and evident, will face rejection from those whose hearts are sealed by arrogance and attachment to falsehood. We must remain steadfast in conveying the message of Allah while recognizing that acceptance ultimately comes from Allah alone, and not all will respond positively despite the clarity of signs.