قَالُوا۟ ٱطَّيَّرْنَا بِكَ وَبِمَن مَّعَكَ ۚ قَالَ طَـٰٓئِرُكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ تُفْتَنُونَ 47
Translations
They said, "We consider you a bad omen, you and those with you." He said, "Your omen [i.e., fate] is with Allāh. Rather, you are a people being tested."
Transliteration
Qāloo ittayyarnā bika wa biman ma'āk, qāla tā'irukum 'inda Allāh, bal antum qawmun tuftanūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people of Thamūd attributed their misfortunes to the Prophet Ṣāliḥ (peace be upon him) and those with him, engaging in a pre-Islamic practice of interpreting omens (al-tayyur) as bad signs. Ṣāliḥ responds that their misfortune is determined by Allah alone, and their real problem is that they are a people being tested (muftanūn) by their disbelief and rejection of the truth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurṭubī emphasize that this ayah refutes the pagan practice of divination and superstition while highlighting the reality that calamities come from Allah's decree as a test of faith.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Prophet Ṣāliḥ and the people of Thamūd in Surah An-Naml. The context describes how Thamūd rejected their prophet and hamstrung the miraculous she-camel sent as a sign, and this verse captures their defiant response when faced with consequences—blaming the messenger rather than examining their own rejection of divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The concept of avoiding superstition and reliance upon omens is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'There is no bad omen (tiyarah), but the best of it is hope (al-fa'l)." This reflects the broader Islamic principle of rejecting divination while maintaining positive expectation in Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
When facing hardship, believers should examine their own hearts and actions rather than seek external scapegoats or resort to superstition; all trials ultimately come from Allah as tests of faith, and the solution lies in sincere repentance and obedience, not in blame-shifting.