أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنكُمُ ٱلذِّكْرَ صَفْحًا أَن كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا مُّسْرِفِينَ 5
Translations
Then should We turn the message away, disregarding you, because you are a transgressing people?
Transliteration
Afanadriba anakumu adh-dhikra safhan an kuntum qawman musrifin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question to the disbelievers of Makkah: 'Should We turn away the Reminder (Qur'an) from you because you are an extravagant people?' Allah is addressing their rejection and mockery of the Qur'an despite its clear signs and guidance. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah emphasizes that the Qur'an is a mercy and guidance for all people, and turning away from it is a consequence of those who transgress and waste their intellect on falsehoods rather than seeking truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Az-Zukhruf, which addresses the Makkan polytheists' arrogance and rejection of the Message. The surah contrasts the beauty of divine guidance with the ornamental distractions of worldly life. This particular ayah responds to the Quraysh's dismissive attitude toward the Qur'an, characterizing them as 'musrifin' (those who exceed bounds and waste)—referring to their extravagance in disbelief and heedlessness.
Related Hadiths
Related to the concept of divine mercy despite human rejection: 'The Qur'an is an intercessor, and its intercession is granted' (Sahih Muslim 804). Also relevant is the hadith about those who turn away from guidance: 'Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me' (Sahih Bukhari 5063), emphasizing the consequences of rejecting divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that divine guidance is offered to all, but its acceptance or rejection depends on human hearts open to truth; those lost in arrogance and material excess become blind to the signs. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to maintain humility, seek knowledge sincerely, and not become so consumed by worldly concerns that we neglect the Qur'an's wisdom.