stubbornness

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَإِذْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَآ إِفْكٌ قَدِيمٌ

And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, "If it had [truly] been good, they would not have preceded us to it." And when they are not guided by it, they will say, "This is an ancient falsehood."

قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَأْفِكَنَا عَنْ ءَالِهَتِنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ

They said, "Have you come to delude us away from our gods? Then bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the truthful."

فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكْنِهِۦ وَقَالَ سَـٰحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ

But he turned away with his supporters and said, "A magician or a madman."

وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كِسْفًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ سَاقِطًا يَقُولُوا۟ سَحَابٌ مَّرْكُومٌ

And if they were to see a fragment from the sky falling, they would say, "[It is merely] clouds heaped up."

أَفَتُمَـٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ

So will you dispute with him over what he saw?

حِكْمَةٌۢ بَـٰلِغَةٌ ۖ فَمَا تُغْنِ ٱلنُّذُرُ

Extensive wisdom - but warning does not avail [them].

فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَبَشَرًا مِّنَّا وَٰحِدًا نَّتَّبِعُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ وَسُعُرٍ

And said, "Is it one human being among us that we should follow? Indeed, we would then be in error and madness.

وَلَقَدْ أَنذَرَهُم بَطْشَتَنَا فَتَمَارَوْا۟ بِٱلنُّذُرِ

And he had already warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the warning.

أَمَّنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُۥ ۚ بَل لَّجُّوا۟ فِى عُتُوٍّ وَنُفُورٍ

Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have persisted in insolence and aversion.

عُتُلٍّۭ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ

Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهْطِعِينَ

So what is [the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening [from] before you, [O Muḥammad],

وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا

And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance.

وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَذَرُنَّ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا

And said, 'Never leave your gods and never leave Wadd or Suwāʿ or Yaghūth and Yaʿūq and Nasr.'

فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ

And said, "This is not but magic imitated [from others].

إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوْلُ ٱلْبَشَرِ

This is not but the word of a human being."

كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُّسْتَنفِرَةٌ

As if they were alarmed donkeys.

بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُؤْتَىٰ صُحُفًا مُّنَشَّرَةً

Rather, every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread about.

ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ يَتَمَطَّىٰٓ

And then he went to his people, swaggering [in pride].

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱرْكَعُوا۟ لَا يَرْكَعُونَ

And when it is said to them, "Bow [in prayer]," they do not bow.

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

فَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

So what is [the matter] with them [that] they do not believe,

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لَا يَسْجُدُونَ ۩

And when the Qur’ān is recited to them, they do not prostrate [to Allāh]?

بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُكَذِّبُونَ

But those who have disbelieved deny,

بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ

But they who disbelieve are in [persistent] denial,

ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

Who had denied and turned away.

أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ

Have you seen if he denies and turns away -

نَاصِيَةٍ كَـٰذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ

A lying, sinning forelock.