فَذَكِّرْ فَمَآ أَنتَ بِنِعْمَتِ رَبِّكَ بِكَاهِنٍ وَلَا مَجْنُونٍ 29
Translations
So remind, [O Muḥammad], for you are not, by the favor of your Lord, a soothsayer or a madman.
Transliteration
Fa-dhakkir fa-mā anta bi-ni'mati rabbika bi-kāhin wa-lā majnūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to continue delivering the message of reminder (dhikr) to the people, and assures him that by the grace of his Lord, he is neither a soothsayer (kāhin) nor mad (majnūn)—accusations the Quraysh had leveled against him. This ayah serves as divine vindication of the Prophet's character and mental soundness, distinguishing revelation from mere divination or insanity. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this reassurance was meant to strengthen the Prophet's resolve against the persistent slanders of the disbelievers.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah At-Tur, a Meccan surah addressing the disbelievers' rejection and mockery of the Prophet. The context reflects the intense opposition the Prophet faced in Mecca, where adversaries dismissed him as either a seer/soothsayer or possessed by jinn, common accusations against those claiming divine communication in pre-Islamic Arabia. The surah reassures the Prophet of his mission's authenticity despite such calumnies.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Volume 1, Book 1, Hadith 3) records that the Prophet's first revelation came through Angel Gabriel, establishing the divine nature of his message against claims of madness or divination. Additionally, accounts of the Quraysh's accusations appear in various biographical sources (Sīrah) confirming the historical context of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Despite facing slander and false accusations, a believer should remain steadfast in conveying the truth, secure in God's support and protection. This ayah reminds us that character assassination and mockery are trials that test a messenger's resolve, and that ultimate vindication comes from Allah's grace, not from silencing critics.