قُل لَّوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَلَوْتُهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَآ أَدْرَىٰكُم بِهِۦ ۖ فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِيكُمْ عُمُرًا مِّن قَبْلِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ 16
Translations
Say, "If Allāh had willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you, for I had remained among you a lifetime before it. Then will you not reason?"
Transliteration
Qul law sha'a Allahu ma talawtuhu 'alaykum wa la adraakum bihi faqad labithtu feekum 'umura min qablihi afalaa ta'qilun
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is instructed to tell the disbelievers that if Allah had willed, he would not have recited the Quran to them, nor would they have known of it—yet he lived among them for forty years before receiving revelation, establishing his character and trustworthiness. This ayah serves as a logical proof of his prophethood, as Ibn Kathir notes: his long residence among them without claiming prophethood, combined with his known integrity, demonstrates that his later claim to prophethood was not a fabrication but a divine commission. Al-Tabari emphasizes that this is an appeal to reason (aql), challenging them to reflect on the evidence before them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus, a Meccan chapter addressing the Quraysh's rejection of the Prophet's message. The broader context (10:11-20) deals with the disbelievers' demand for signs and their obstinate refusal despite clear proofs. This specific verse responds to their accusations that Muhammad fabricated the Quran, reminding them of his well-known character during the pre-prophetic period.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3635) where Khadijah tells the Prophet that Allah would never humiliate him because of his trustworthiness, truthfulness, and good character—directly supporting the proof presented in this ayah. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah records that the Prophet's companions testified to his honesty ('al-Sadiq al-Amin') before revelation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true prophethood rests not on manipulation or sudden claims, but on consistency of character and divine permission—encouraging believers to recognize spiritual truth through both reason and evidence, and reminding us that integrity in our words and actions is the foundation of credibility in our faith.