سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 68
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا۟ ٱلْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَآءَهُم مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ ءَابَآءَهُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿68﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Have they not pondered over the Word (of Allâh, i.e. what is sent down to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم), or has there come to them what had not come to their fathers of old?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَلَمْ
afalam
Then, do not
يَدَّبَّرُوا۟
yaddabbarū
they ponder
ٱلْقَوْلَ
l-qawla
the Word
أَمْ
am
or
جَآءَهُم
jāahum
has come to them
مَّا
mā
what
لَمْ
lam
not
يَأْتِ
yati
(had) come
ءَابَآءَهُمُ
ābāahumu
(to) their forefathers
ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
l-awalīna
(to) their forefathers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 68) ➊ { اَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ …:} In these verses, Allah Almighty has mentioned five things, that if any one of them were a reason, then it would have been reasonable for the disbelievers not to believe in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Qur’an. But since none of these are present, they have no excuse for denial, arrogance, or mockery.
➋ { اَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ:} That is, is the reason for their not believing that they did not understand this speech? Clearly, this is not the reason; the Qur’an is not a riddle, nor is it in a language beyond their comprehension. There is nothing in it that is beyond human understanding; they understand every single thing in it. They are not opposing it because they tried to understand and could not, but rather because they do not want to accept it.
➌ {اَمْ جَآءَهُمْ مَّا لَمْ يَاْتِ اٰبَآءَهُمُ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ :} That is, or is the reason for their denial that he has presented something strange that no one has ever heard before? Clearly, this is not the case either. Prophets have always come from Allah Almighty; this is not the first Messenger. Allah said: « قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ » [ الأحقاف : ۹ ] “Say, I am not a novelty among the messengers.” Many prophets have come to their surroundings in Iraq, Syria, and Egypt; in their own land, Ibrahim and Isma’il (peace be upon them) came, Hud, Salih, and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them) came. They themselves accept them as true messengers and know that they were not polytheists, but rather came with the call to monotheism. In short, the reason for their denial is not that the coming of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is something unprecedented for them.
Note: Wherever in the Qur’an it is mentioned that you (peace be upon him) were sent to those whose forefathers had not received a messenger, it means that no messenger had come in the near past, and here it means that a messenger had come in the distant past, which is also known to them, because they also accepted Ibrahim, Isma’il, Hud, Salih, and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them) as messengers.
➋ { اَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ:} That is, is the reason for their not believing that they did not understand this speech? Clearly, this is not the reason; the Qur’an is not a riddle, nor is it in a language beyond their comprehension. There is nothing in it that is beyond human understanding; they understand every single thing in it. They are not opposing it because they tried to understand and could not, but rather because they do not want to accept it.
➌ {اَمْ جَآءَهُمْ مَّا لَمْ يَاْتِ اٰبَآءَهُمُ الْاَوَّلِيْنَ :} That is, or is the reason for their denial that he has presented something strange that no one has ever heard before? Clearly, this is not the case either. Prophets have always come from Allah Almighty; this is not the first Messenger. Allah said: « قُلْ مَا كُنْتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ » [ الأحقاف : ۹ ] “Say, I am not a novelty among the messengers.” Many prophets have come to their surroundings in Iraq, Syria, and Egypt; in their own land, Ibrahim and Isma’il (peace be upon them) came, Hud, Salih, and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them) came. They themselves accept them as true messengers and know that they were not polytheists, but rather came with the call to monotheism. In short, the reason for their denial is not that the coming of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is something unprecedented for them.
Note: Wherever in the Qur’an it is mentioned that you (peace be upon him) were sent to those whose forefathers had not received a messenger, it means that no messenger had come in the near past, and here it means that a messenger had come in the distant past, which is also known to them, because they also accepted Ibrahim, Isma’il, Hud, Salih, and Shu’ayb (peace be upon them) as messengers.
