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
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ ۖ مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُوهُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Indeed, your Lord is Allāh, who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne, arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allāh, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember?
وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ فَمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
And We had certainly settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِمْ فَجَآءُوهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَمَا كَانُوا۟ لِيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِمَا كَذَّبُوا۟ بِهِۦ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
Then We sent after him messengers to their peoples, and they came to them with clear proofs. But they were not to believe in that which they had denied before. Thus We seal over the hearts of the transgressors.
۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ نُوحٍ إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكُم مَّقَامِى وَتَذْكِيرِى بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ فَأَجْمِعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَكُمْ وَشُرَكَآءَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنْ أَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ ٱقْضُوٓا۟ إِلَىَّ وَلَا تُنظِرُونِ
And recite to them the news of Noah, when he said to his people, "O my people, if my residence and my reminding of the signs of Allāh has become burdensome upon you - then I have relied upon Allāh. So resolve upon your plan and [call upon] your associates. Then let not your plan be obscure to you. Then carry it out upon me and do not give me respite.