وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْ إِحْدَى ٱلْأُمَمِ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا 42
Translations
And they swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion
Transliteration
Wa-aqsamu billahi jahda aymaanihim la-in jaahum nadhirun layakoonunna ahda min ihda al-umam, falamma jaahum nadhirun ma zadahum illa nufuran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the arrogant oath made by the disbelievers of Mecca that if a warner (messenger) came to them, they would be more guided than any other nation. However, when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to them as a clear warner, their response was only aversion and turning away rather than acceptance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this illustrates the stubbornness of hearts that are sealed against truth—the provision of clear guidance paradoxically increased their obstinacy because they were spiritually unprepared to receive it.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Fatir, a Meccan surah addressing the rejection faced by the Prophet ﷺ in Mecca. It describes the Quraysh's arrogant presumption about their readiness for guidance, contrasted with their actual hostile rejection when the Message arrived. The context reflects the early Meccan period when disbelievers mocked the Message despite claiming they would accept a messenger if one came.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Hadith Qudsi in Sahih Bukhari where Allah states that whoever turns away from His remembrance will have a straitened life. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about hearts being sealed by continuous rejection of truth, illustrating how persistent disbelief hardens the heart against guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that mere intellectual acknowledgment or hypothetical acceptance of truth is worthless without sincere hearts ready to submit; we must examine whether our hearts are truly open to guidance or merely deceiving ourselves with false promises of readiness. It reminds us that rejecting guidance repeatedly hardens the heart, making it increasingly difficult to accept truth even when presented clearly.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَحْيَآءُ وَلَا ٱلْأَمْوَٰتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسْمِعُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ
And not equal are the living and the dead. Indeed, Allāh causes to hear whom He wills, but you cannot make hear those in the graves.
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌۢ بِٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself [i.e., sins], and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allāh. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty.
وَإِن يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ
And if they deny you, [O Muḥammad] - already were messengers denied before you. And to Allāh are returned [all] matters.
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ شُرَكَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَرُونِى مَاذَا خَلَقُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ أَمْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمْ كِتَـٰبًا فَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَتٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ بَلْ إِن يَعِدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا إِلَّا غُرُورًا
Say, "Have you considered your 'partners' whom you invoke besides Allāh? Show me what they have created from the earth, or have they partnership [with Him] in the heavens? Or have We given them a book so they are [standing] on evidence therefrom? [No], rather, the wrongdoers do not promise each other except delusion."