وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَىٰ مِنْ إِحْدَى ٱلْأُمَمِ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا 42
Translations
And they swore by Allāh their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than [any] one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion
Transliteration
Wa-aqsamu billahi jahda aymaanihim la-in jaahum nadhirun layakoonunna ahda min ihda al-umam, falamma jaahum nadhirun ma zadahum illa nufuran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the arrogant oath made by the disbelievers of Mecca that if a warner (messenger) came to them, they would be more guided than any other nation. However, when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to them as a clear warner, their response was only aversion and turning away rather than acceptance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this illustrates the stubbornness of hearts that are sealed against truth—the provision of clear guidance paradoxically increased their obstinacy because they were spiritually unprepared to receive it.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Fatir, a Meccan surah addressing the rejection faced by the Prophet ﷺ in Mecca. It describes the Quraysh's arrogant presumption about their readiness for guidance, contrasted with their actual hostile rejection when the Message arrived. The context reflects the early Meccan period when disbelievers mocked the Message despite claiming they would accept a messenger if one came.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Hadith Qudsi in Sahih Bukhari where Allah states that whoever turns away from His remembrance will have a straitened life. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah about hearts being sealed by continuous rejection of truth, illustrating how persistent disbelief hardens the heart against guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that mere intellectual acknowledgment or hypothetical acceptance of truth is worthless without sincere hearts ready to submit; we must examine whether our hearts are truly open to guidance or merely deceiving ourselves with false promises of readiness. It reminds us that rejecting guidance repeatedly hardens the heart, making it increasingly difficult to accept truth even when presented clearly.
Related Ayahs
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ ٱلْكَلِمُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ وَٱلْعَمَلُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُ يَرْفَعُهُۥ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۖ وَمَكْرُ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ
Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allāh belongs all honor. To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it. But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allāh has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.
وَمَا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ
Not equal are the blind and the seeing,
يُولِجُ ٱلَّيْلَ فِى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِى ٱلَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَا يَمْلِكُونَ مِن قِطْمِيرٍ
He causes the night to enter the day, and He causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon - each running [its course] for a specified term. That is Allāh, your Lord; to Him belongs sovereignty. And those whom you invoke other than Him do not possess [as much as] the membrane of a date seed.