لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّآ أُنذِرَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَـٰفِلُونَ 6
Translations
That you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are unaware.
Transliteration
Litundhira qawman maa undhira aabaauhum fahum ghaafiloon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explains that the Quran was revealed to warn a people (the Arabs of Mecca) whose forefathers were never warned by any messenger before Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and therefore they are heedless and unaware of the divine message. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this emphasizes that the Arabs of the Quraysh were among nations that had not received prior prophetic warnings in their recent generations, unlike the People of the Book who had received scriptures before, making their rejection of the Quranic message all the more blameworthy.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the introduction to Surah Ya-Sin (Meccan surah), which establishes the purpose of the Quranic revelation. It contextualizes the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a warner to the Arab people specifically, who had been living in jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance) without prophetic guidance for centuries after Prophet Ishmael ﷺ.
Related Hadiths
The theme of warning is reflected in the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth' (Sahih Bukhari 97). Additionally, the hadith 'I have been sent as a warner' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4302) directly relates to the concept of being a warner (mundhir) mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that those who receive clear guidance have a greater responsibility and accountability before Allah, as ignorance cannot be used as an excuse when the message has been clearly conveyed. It also emphasizes that the warning comes as an act of divine mercy, urging believers to be receptive to guidance and to warn others with wisdom and compassion.