أَن تَقُولُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ عَلَىٰ طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـٰفِلِينَ 156
Translations
[We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"
Transliteration
An taqoolū inna-mā unzila al-kitābu 'alā tā'ifatayn min qablināh wa-in kunnā 'an dirāsatihim lagh-āfilīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns against the excuse that the Quran was only revealed to two groups before the Muslims, and that Muslims were negligent in studying it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse addresses the Jewish and Christian claim that revelation was specific to their communities, while refuting the notion that ignorance of previous scriptures justifies neglecting the Quran. The verse emphasizes that Muslims have direct access to Allah's guidance and cannot claim heedlessness as an excuse for rejecting it.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am's broader theme of warning against shirk (polytheism) and false excuses for rejecting monotheism. It specifically addresses the Meccan polytheists' and People of the Book's rejection of the Quran by dismantling their excuse that divine revelation was exclusively given to previous nations, establishing the universality of the Quranic message.
Related Hadiths
The principle underlying this ayah relates to the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it.' This emphasizes the obligation to study and transmit the Quran, contrasting with the negligence condemned in 6:156.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that ignorance and inattention are inexcusable obstacles to understanding divine guidance, as the Quran is accessible to all believers regardless of their background. It reminds us that we cannot deflect responsibility by claiming the message was meant for others—we are directly accountable for learning and implementing the Quranic teachings in our lives.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muḥammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us].
وَلِتَصْغَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ أَفْـِٔدَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا۟ مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَ
And [it is] so the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter will incline toward it [i.e., deceptive speech] and that they will be satisfied with it and that they will commit that which they are committing.
وَإِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ٱلرَّحْمَةَ ۖ أَنَّهُۥ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوٓءًۢا بِجَهَـٰلَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And when those come to you who believe in Our verses, say, "Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy: that any of you who does wrong out of ignorance and then repents after that and corrects himself - indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَلِيَقُولُوا۟ دَرَسْتَ وَلِنُبَيِّنَهُۥ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
And thus do We diversify the verses so they [i.e., the disbelievers] will say, "You have studied," and so We may make it [i.e., the Qur’ān] clear for a people who know.