سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 103
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّ وَهَـٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿103﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: "It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم)." The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur’ân) is a clear Arabic tongue.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
نَعْلَمُ
naʿlamu
We know
أَنَّهُمْ
annahum
that they
يَقُولُونَ
yaqūlūna
say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
يُعَلِّمُهُۥ
yuʿallimuhu
teaches him
بَشَرٌۭ ۗ
basharun
a human being
لِّسَانُ
lisānu
(The) tongue
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(of) the one
يُلْحِدُونَ
yul'ḥidūna
they refer
إِلَيْهِ
ilayhi
to him
أَعْجَمِىٌّۭ
aʿjamiyyun
(is) foreign
وَهَـٰذَا
wahādhā
while this
لِسَانٌ
lisānun
(is) a language
عَرَبِىٌّۭ
ʿarabiyyun
Arabic
مُّبِينٌ
mubīnun
clear
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.
13. 1 That is, there were some slaves who were familiar with the Torah and the Gospel; previously they were Christians or Jews, then they became Muslims. They were also not fluent in the language. The polytheists of Makkah used to say that such-and-such slave teaches Muhammad the Quran.
13. 2 In response, Allah said that the person or persons they mention cannot even speak the Arabic language fluently, whereas the Quran is in such clear Arabic language that it is unparalleled in eloquence, rhetoric, and miraculous expression, and despite the challenge, not even a single surah like it can be produced. The scholars and learned people of the whole world are unable to present anything like it. The Arabs used to call a person 'Ajamī' (mute) who was unable to speak eloquently and fluently, and non-Arabs were also called 'Ajamī' because non-Arabic languages cannot compete with the Arabic language in eloquence and rhetoric.
13. 2 In response, Allah said that the person or persons they mention cannot even speak the Arabic language fluently, whereas the Quran is in such clear Arabic language that it is unparalleled in eloquence, rhetoric, and miraculous expression, and despite the challenge, not even a single surah like it can be produced. The scholars and learned people of the whole world are unable to present anything like it. The Arabs used to call a person 'Ajamī' (mute) who was unable to speak eloquently and fluently, and non-Arabs were also called 'Ajamī' because non-Arabic languages cannot compete with the Arabic language in eloquence and rhetoric.
