فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ 47
Translations
But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them.
Transliteration
Falamma ja'ahum bi-ayatina idha hum minha yadhhakun
Tafsir (Explanation)
When the Prophet (Musa) came to Pharaoh and his people with Our clear signs and miracles, they responded with mockery and laughter instead of reflection and faith. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah illustrates the arrogance and spiritual blindness of those who reject divine guidance—their laughter was a manifestation of their denial and refusal to acknowledge the truth, despite the overwhelming clarity of the miracles presented to them.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zukhruf's narrative about Musa and Pharaoh, recounting the historical account of how Pharaoh and his court rejected Musa's message and the signs Allah granted him. The broader context emphasizes the recurring pattern of human rejection of prophets throughout history, a major theme in Meccan surahs addressing the Quraysh's own rejection of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Related Hadiths
The theme of mockery toward the divine message relates to hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against derision of religious matters. Additionally, Quran 83:29-31 describes similar mockery by disbelievers in the hereafter, and Surah Al-Anbiya 41 addresses those who mock the prophets.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that rejection of divine truth often stems not from lack of evidence but from spiritual hardness and arrogance of the heart; we should guard ourselves against dismissing guidance and maintain humble receptiveness to truth, lest we fall into the same trap as those who laughed at the signs of Allah.
Related Ayahs
وَتِلْكَ عَادٌ ۖ جَحَدُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا۟ رُسُلَهُۥ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ
And that was ʿAad, who rejected the signs of their Lord and disobeyed His messengers and followed the order of every obstinate tyrant.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ هَـٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is obvious magic."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَـٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَـٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمْ ۙ إِن فِى صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَّا هُم بِبَـٰلِغِيهِ ۚ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
Indeed, those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without [any] evidence having come to them - there is not within their breasts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach. So seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Seeing.
وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ بِهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُۥٓ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۚ فَٱقْصُصِ ٱلْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.