إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 13
Translations
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
Transliteration
Idha tutla alayhi ayatuna qala asatiru al-awwalini
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the Quranic verses are recited to the disbeliever, he dismisses them as mere tales and legends of the ancients, refusing to accept their divine origin. Ibn Kathir explains this reflects the arrogance of those who reject the Quran outright, equating God's revelation with fabricated stories, while Al-Tabari notes this was a common retort of Meccan polytheists who claimed the Prophet (ﷺ) was merely repeating old myths. This ayah illustrates the hardening of hearts that occurs when people stubbornly resist truth despite clear signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Mutaffifin, a Meccan chapter that addresses those who defraud in transactions and reject divine guidance. The broader context describes the characteristics of disbelievers and their dismissive attitude toward revelation, capturing the response of Meccan pagans who encountered the Quran during the early Islamic period.
Related Hadiths
The Quran itself references this rejection in Surah Al-Nahl (16:24): 'When it is said to them, what has your Lord sent down? They say, tales of the former peoples.' This reflects a consistent pattern documented throughout the Quran of how disbelievers responded to revelation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that rejecting truth is often rooted not in intellectual doubt but in arrogance and hardened hearts; we should examine our own receptiveness to guidance and avoid dismissing truth merely because it challenges our preconceptions or desires. It also teaches us patience with those who reject the message, understanding that some hearts are sealed by their own stubbornness rather than by lack of clarity in the signs.