وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ 25
Translations
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful."
Transliteration
Wa-idha tutla alayhim ayatuna bayyinatun ma kana hujjatuhum illa an qalū i'tu bi-abai'na in kuntum sadiqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the clear signs of Allah are recited to the disbelievers, their only response is to demand that the Prophet bring forth their forefathers from the dead as proof, revealing their stubborn rejection and bad faith argumentation. Ibn Kathir notes this reflects their desperation to avoid the truth, while Al-Tabari emphasizes that this demand itself demonstrates the weakness of their position, as they resort to impossible requests rather than engaging with the rational clarity of Allah's verses.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Jathiyah's broader theme addressing the Meccan polytheists' rejection of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The context reflects the historical reality of the early Islamic period when disbelievers consistently responded to clear proofs with irrational objections and appeals to ancestral tradition rather than evidence.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3399): The Prophet stated that people follow the ways of their forefathers blindly. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about those who reject clear signs out of mere stubbornness rather than honest inquiry.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that genuine resistance to truth often masks itself in seemingly logical demands, and reminds believers that blind adherence to tradition—whether ancestral or cultural—without rational examination is a form of spiritual heedlessness that prevents one from accepting divine guidance.