أَلَمْ تَكُنْ ءَايَـٰتِى تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَكُنتُم بِهَا تُكَذِّبُونَ 105
Translations
[It will be said], "Were not My verses recited to you and you used to deny them?"
Transliteration
Alam takun ayatiy tutla alaykum fakuntum biha tukadhdhibun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, reminding them that His clear signs (Quranic verses) were recited to them during their worldly life, yet they persistently rejected and denied them. This ayah emphasizes their inexcusable rejection despite having received unmistakable divine guidance, as Ibn Kathir notes in his tafsir that this is a rebuke highlighting their willful denial rather than ignorance. Al-Tabari explains that the repetition of recitation (tutla) underscores the clarity and frequency with which the message came to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Mu'minun's broader theme of resurrection and accountability. Specifically, it is part of Allah's dialogue with the disbelievers in the Hereafter (verses 99-118), where they are confronted with their choices and rejection of the Quranic message during their lifetime. The surah emphasizes that the signs were clear and repeatedly presented to them.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever hears the Quran and does not believe in it, he will be among the losers on the Day of Judgment' (a theme reflected in various hadiths in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim regarding the responsibility of those who hear the Quran). Additionally, Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:71 is related: 'And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, the heavens and the earth and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that receiving divine guidance carries responsibility—ignorance cannot excuse rejection when the message is clearly presented. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of accepting and acting upon Islamic knowledge with sincerity, knowing that Allah does not burden us with signs we cannot understand, and that our accountability is based on what we have received.