هَـٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلْأُولَىٰٓ 56
Translations
This [Prophet (ﷺ)] is a warner from [i.e., like] the former warners.
Transliteration
Hadha nadheerun mina al-nudhuri al-ula
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a warning from among the previous warnings sent to earlier nations. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this affirms the continuity of divine revelation and the consistency of the message across all prophets, emphasizing that the Quran is not a novel message but a continuation of the warnings previously sent through Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and other messengers. The ayah underscores that rejection of this warning—like rejection of previous warnings—carries serious consequences.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Najm, a Meccan surah primarily focused on establishing the divine nature of the Prophet's mission and the reality of the afterlife. It comes near the end of the surah as a reminder to the Meccan disbelievers that they have been given clear warning just as previous peoples were, and thus cannot claim ignorance as an excuse for rejection.
Related Hadiths
The concept is supported by Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40, which describes Muhammad as the Seal of the Prophets. Additionally, Surah An-Nisa 4:163-165 emphasizes the universal pattern of sending messengers and warners to every nation, reflecting the principle mentioned in 53:56.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that the message of Islam is not isolated but part of an eternal divine pattern, making it binding upon all people to heed this final warning. For believers today, it reinforces the importance of understanding Islam within the context of all previous revelations and taking the Quranic message seriously as a solemn admonition from the Creator.