سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 31
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالُوا۟ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۙ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when Our Verses (of the Qur’ân) are recited to them, they say: "We have heard (the Qur’ân); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
تُتْلَىٰ
tut'lā
are recited
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
ءَايَـٰتُنَا
āyātunā
Our Verses
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they say
قَدْ
qad
Verily
سَمِعْنَا
samiʿ'nā
we have heard
لَوْ
law
if
نَشَآءُ
nashāu
we wish
لَقُلْنَا
laqul'nā
surely, we could say
مِثْلَ
mith'la
like
هَـٰذَآ ۙ
hādhā
this
إِنْ
in
Not
هَـٰذَآ
hādhā
is this
إِلَّآ
illā
but
أَسَـٰطِيرُ
asāṭīru
tales
ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
l-awalīna
(of) the former (people)
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 31) ➊ { وَ اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتُنَا قَالُوْا … : ’’ اَسَاطِيْرُ ‘‘} is the plural of {’’اُسْطُوْرَةٌ، اُسْطَارَةٌ، اُسْطِيْرَةٌ‘‘}, disordered stories. (Qamus) Ibn Jarir said that the plural of { ’’سَطْرٌ ‘‘} is {’’اَسْطُرٌ‘‘}, and its plural is {’’ اَسَاطِيْرُ ‘‘}. The disbelievers used to say, "What is this Quran? It is nothing but the disordered imaginary stories of the former people." They said this merely out of ignorance, because the Quran was not revealed to narrate history and stories in order, but for admonition. Therefore, wherever and to whatever extent the mention of an incident was needed, it was mentioned. Allah Almighty has mentioned this objection of theirs and its answer in more detail at another place. See Surah Al-Furqan (5, 6).
➋ {لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هٰذَاۤ:} This is proof of their helplessness. Allah Almighty first asked them to bring the like of the whole Quran, then of ten surahs, and then of just one surah. In response, they are saying, "If we wish, we can say something like this too." Someone should ask them, if this is really the case, then who stopped you from bringing speech like it? Where has your sense of rivalry gone? Despite being so dumbfounded, why do you not want to say it? At least open your mouths, just bring a surah like the three verses of «{ اِنَّاۤ اَعْطَيْنٰكَ الْكَوْثَرَ }». It is clear that you are plainly lying. See Surah Al-Baqarah (23, 24).
➋ {لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هٰذَاۤ:} This is proof of their helplessness. Allah Almighty first asked them to bring the like of the whole Quran, then of ten surahs, and then of just one surah. In response, they are saying, "If we wish, we can say something like this too." Someone should ask them, if this is really the case, then who stopped you from bringing speech like it? Where has your sense of rivalry gone? Despite being so dumbfounded, why do you not want to say it? At least open your mouths, just bring a surah like the three verses of «{ اِنَّاۤ اَعْطَيْنٰكَ الْكَوْثَرَ }». It is clear that you are plainly lying. See Surah Al-Baqarah (23, 24).
