وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَـٰهُ بَيْنَهُمْ لِيَذَّكَّرُوا۟ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًا 50
Translations
And We have certainly distributed it among them that they might be reminded, but most of the people refuse except disbelief.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad sarrafnahu baynahum liyadhdhakkarū fa-abā aktharu an-nāsi illā kufūrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah states that He has varied the Qur'an in its expressions, examples, and teachings among the people so that they might receive admonition and guidance, yet most people stubbornly reject faith and deny the truth. Ibn Kathir explains that despite the clarity and repetition of the Qur'anic message in different forms to facilitate understanding, human arrogance and resistance prevent belief. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this rejection is willful and unjustifiable, as Allah has made the message accessible through diverse presentation.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Furqan (The Criterion), a Meccan surah addressing the Meccan disbelievers who rejected the Qur'an despite its clear proofs. The broader context discusses how Allah sent the Qur'an as a criterion (furqan) between truth and falsehood, yet people's hearts remain sealed against guidance due to their own stubbornness and denial.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The parable of the Qur'an is like a tree whose roots are firm and whose branches reach towards the sky, giving fruit at all times by the permission of its Lord' (Surah Ibrahim 14:24-25, referenced in tafsir literature). Additionally, 'Whoever Allah desires to guide, He opens their heart to Islam; and whoever He desires to leave astray, He makes their breast tight and constricted' (Sahih Muslim 2644).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah has provided clear guidance in many forms and expressions to reach every heart and mind, but belief ultimately depends on the individual's willingness to accept truth. We must examine our own hearts to ensure we are not among those who deny the obvious signs due to pride, arrogance, or attachment to worldly desires.