وَمَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّنَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مُحْدَثٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ عَنْهُ مُعْرِضِينَ 5
Translations
And no mention [i.e., revelation] comes to them anew from the Most Merciful except that they turn away from it.
Transliteration
Wa mā yā'tīhim min dhikrin mina ar-rahmāni muhdasin illā kānū 'anhu mu'ridīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers' persistent rejection of every new revelation (dhikr) from Allah (the Most Merciful), turning away from the Qur'an as it was being revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this reflects the Meccan pagans' stubborn refusal to listen to the divine message, regardless of how many signs and revelations were presented to them, highlighting their willful blindness and heedlessness to guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ash-Shu'ara, a Meccan surah that addresses the opposition and mockery the Prophet faced from the Quraysh during the early Meccan period. The surah emphasizes that previous nations also rejected their prophets, drawing parallels to the contemporary rejection of Muhammad's message. This ayah specifically illustrates the theme of mankind's characteristic ingratitude and aversion to divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Hadith Qudsi where Allah says: 'I am as My slave expects Me to be' (Sahih Bukhari 7405), emphasizing personal choice in accepting or rejecting guidance. Also relevant is the hadith: 'The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), contrasting those who embrace versus reject the dhikr.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that possession of divine guidance is not sufficient—receptiveness, humility, and willingness to listen are essential prerequisites for spiritual growth. In our contemporary context, we must examine our own hearts to ensure we are not turning away from reminders and guidance, whether from the Qur'an or authentic Islamic knowledge.
Related Ayahs
وَأَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ
And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide [them].
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُۥ لِيُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَـٰهِرُونَ
And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."
وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ
And they thought there would be no [resulting] punishment, so they became blind and deaf. Then Allāh turned to them in forgiveness; then [again] many of them became blind and deaf. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.
وَلَقَدْ ضَلَّ قَبْلَهُمْ أَكْثَرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
And there had already strayed before them most of the former peoples,