قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مِن شَىْءٍ إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَكْذِبُونَ 15
Translations
They said, "You are not but human beings like us, and the Most Merciful has not revealed a thing. You are only telling lies."
Transliteration
Qālū mā antum illā basharun mithlunā wa mā anzala ar-rahmānu min shay'in in antum illā takdhībūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers respond to the messengers by rejecting their message, claiming that the messengers are merely human beings like themselves and that Allah (ar-Rahman) has not revealed anything, accusing them of lying. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this represents the typical arrogant response of those who deny the truth—they attempt to discredit the messengers by emphasizing their human nature while simultaneously denying divine revelation itself, despite the clear signs presented to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the parable of the three messengers sent to the people of Antioch (Antakiyah), narrated in Surah Ya-Sin (verses 13-29). The context illustrates how communities throughout history have rejected divine messengers through similar arguments and accusations of falsehood, emphasizing the recurring pattern of disbelief and resistance to Allah's guidance.
Related Hadiths
The rejection of messengers based on their humanity relates to Surah 21:34 where Allah addresses this misconception. While not a direct hadith reference, the principle is reinforced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim regarding the humanity of prophets and the requirement to believe in their message despite their human nature.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that disbelievers often use the humanity of messengers as an excuse to reject divine guidance, when in fact Allah chose human messengers as a mercy to humanity. Modern believers should recognize that truth should be evaluated on its own merit and evidence, not dismissed based on prejudice or the perceived status of those who convey it.