بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا فَأَعْرَضَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ 4
Translations
As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.
Transliteration
Basheeran wa nadheeran fa-a'rada akthharuhum fahum la yasma'oon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how the Prophet Muhammad was sent as a bringer of good tidings (bashir) and a warner (nadhir), yet most people turned away and refused to listen to his message. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'they do not hear' (la yasma'oon) indicates a spiritual deafness—not a physical inability to hear, but a willful rejection and closure of hearts to divine guidance. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this turning away represents the arrogance and stubbornness of the disbelievers despite clear signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the opening section of Surah Fussilat, which was revealed in Mecca during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message. The surah's theme revolves around explaining the Quran in detail and addressing the objections of the Meccan disbelievers who rejected the Prophet's dual role as bearer of glad tidings and warner.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet said, 'I have been sent with the sword just before the Hour, so that Allah alone is worshipped without partners, and my provision has been made in the shade of my spear, and humiliation and contempt have been placed upon whoever disobeys my command' (Sunan Ahmad). This hadith relates to the concept of warning and the consequences of rejection.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that despite clear divine signs and warnings, people bear responsibility for their own spiritual condition—turning away from guidance is ultimately a choice that leads to spiritual blindness and deafness to truth. For believers, it emphasizes the importance of maintaining open hearts to divine messages rather than allowing pride or preconceptions to prevent us from hearing wisdom.