وَمِنْهُم مَّن يُؤْمِنُ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهِۦ ۚ وَرَبُّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ 40
Translations
And of them are those who believe in it, and of them are those who do not believe in it. And your Lord is most knowing of the corrupters.
Transliteration
Wa minhum man yu'minu bihi wa minhum man laa yu'minu bihi wa rabbuka a'lamu bil-mufsidin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah acknowledges the division among people regarding belief in the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—some accept the message while others reject it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah's knowledge encompasses those who spread corruption and discord through their disbelief, and their ultimate fate rests with the All-Knowing Lord. The ayah serves as consolation to the Prophet that disbelief is not due to any deficiency in the message, but rather a consequence of human free will and divine wisdom.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Yunus (a Meccan surah) during a period when the Prophet faced significant opposition and rejection from the Quraysh despite the clarity of his message. The broader context addresses the inevitable human division regarding faith and divine guidance, reinforcing the principle that the Prophet's responsibility is only to convey the message, not to force belief.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart' (Sahih Muslim 49), relating to the distinction between believers and those who commit corruption. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about the Prophet's patience with rejection: 'The hardest day for me was the day of Uhud, but the day of Al-Aqabah was harder than it.'
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that acceptance and rejection of faith are part of human diversity, and that Allah's knowledge is perfect regarding those who choose to spread corruption; our duty is to convey truth with wisdom and patience, trusting in Allah's ultimate justice rather than becoming discouraged by disbelief around us.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّى عَمَلِى وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ ۖ أَنتُم بَرِيٓـُٔونَ مِمَّآ أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَا۠ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And if they deny you, [O Muḥammad], then say, "For me are my deeds, and for you are your deeds. You are disassociated from what I do, and I am disassociated from what you do."
فَمَآ ءَامَنَ لِمُوسَىٰٓ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِّن قَوْمِهِۦ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِّن فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِمْ أَن يَفْتِنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ
But no one believed Moses, except [some] offspring [i.e., youths] among his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his establishment that they would persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.
وَيُحِقُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
And Allāh will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."
وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَـَٔامَنَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muḥammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?