سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 27
فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرًا مِّثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ ٱلرَّأْىِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۭ بَلْ نَظُنُّكُمْ كَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿27﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said: "We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَقَالَ
faqāla
So said
ٱلْمَلَأُ
l-mala-u
the chiefs
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
مِن
min
from
قَوْمِهِۦ
qawmihi
his people
مَا
mā
Not
نَرَىٰكَ
narāka
we see you
إِلَّا
illā
but
بَشَرًۭا
basharan
a man
مِّثْلَنَا
mith'lanā
like us
وَمَا
wamā
and not
نَرَىٰكَ
narāka
we see you
ٱتَّبَعَكَ
ittabaʿaka
followed [you]
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
هُمْ
hum
[they]
أَرَاذِلُنَا
arādhilunā
(are) the lowest of us
بَادِىَ
bādiya
immature in opinion
ٱلرَّأْىِ
l-rayi
immature in opinion
وَمَا
wamā
And not
نَرَىٰ
narā
we see
لَكُمْ
lakum
in you
عَلَيْنَا
ʿalaynā
over us
مِن
min
any
فَضْلٍۭ
faḍlin
merit
بَلْ
bal
nay
نَظُنُّكُمْ
naẓunnukum
we think you
كَـٰذِبِينَ
kādhibīna
(are) liars
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
27. 1 This is the same doubt, the explanation of which has already been given in several places before, that for the disbelievers, the combination of prophethood and messengership with humanity was very strange, just as it seems strange to the people of innovation today, and they deny the humanity of the Messenger.
27. 2 In the history of truth, this has always been seen in every era that those who initially adopt it are always those who are considered destitute and inferior in society, and the affluent and prosperous class remains deprived of it. So much so that it became a sign of the followers of the prophets. Thus, the king of Rome, Heraclius, when he asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet, one of the things he asked was, "Are his followers considered honorable people in society or weak people?" Abu Sufyan replied, "Weak people." Upon this, Heraclius said, "These are the followers of the messengers." (Sahih Bukhari). It has also been clarified in the Noble Quran that it is the prosperous class that has always been the first to deny the prophets. (Surah Az-Zukhruf. 23) (وَكَذٰلِكَ مَآ اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فِيْ قَرْيَةٍ مِّنْ نَّذِيْرٍ اِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوْهَآ ۙاِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ اٰبَاۗءَنَا عَلٰٓي اُمَّةٍ وَّاِنَّا عَلٰٓي اٰثٰرِهِمْ مُّقْتَدُوْنَ 23) 43. Az-Zukhruf: 23) And this was the worldly status of the believers, and because of this, the disbelievers considered them insignificant and inferior, whereas in reality, the followers of the truth are honorable and noble, even if they are inferior in terms of wealth and property, and those who deny the truth are insignificant and worthless, even if they are wealthy in worldly terms.
27. 3 Since the believers do not use their intellect, wisdom, and opinion in opposition to the commands of Allah and His Messenger, the people of falsehood think that they are thoughtless and senseless, that wherever Allah's Messenger turns them, they turn, and whatever he forbids them from, they refrain from. This too is a great quality of the believers, rather it is a necessary requirement of faith. But in the eyes of the disbelievers and the people of falsehood, this quality is also considered a "flaw."
27. 2 In the history of truth, this has always been seen in every era that those who initially adopt it are always those who are considered destitute and inferior in society, and the affluent and prosperous class remains deprived of it. So much so that it became a sign of the followers of the prophets. Thus, the king of Rome, Heraclius, when he asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet, one of the things he asked was, "Are his followers considered honorable people in society or weak people?" Abu Sufyan replied, "Weak people." Upon this, Heraclius said, "These are the followers of the messengers." (Sahih Bukhari). It has also been clarified in the Noble Quran that it is the prosperous class that has always been the first to deny the prophets. (Surah Az-Zukhruf. 23) (وَكَذٰلِكَ مَآ اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فِيْ قَرْيَةٍ مِّنْ نَّذِيْرٍ اِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوْهَآ ۙاِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ اٰبَاۗءَنَا عَلٰٓي اُمَّةٍ وَّاِنَّا عَلٰٓي اٰثٰرِهِمْ مُّقْتَدُوْنَ 23) 43. Az-Zukhruf: 23) And this was the worldly status of the believers, and because of this, the disbelievers considered them insignificant and inferior, whereas in reality, the followers of the truth are honorable and noble, even if they are inferior in terms of wealth and property, and those who deny the truth are insignificant and worthless, even if they are wealthy in worldly terms.
27. 3 Since the believers do not use their intellect, wisdom, and opinion in opposition to the commands of Allah and His Messenger, the people of falsehood think that they are thoughtless and senseless, that wherever Allah's Messenger turns them, they turn, and whatever he forbids them from, they refrain from. This too is a great quality of the believers, rather it is a necessary requirement of faith. But in the eyes of the disbelievers and the people of falsehood, this quality is also considered a "flaw."
