قَالُوا۟ يَـٰهُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِىٓ ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ 53
Translations
They said, "O Hūd, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not ones to leave our gods on your say-so. Nor are we believers in you.
Transliteration
Qālū yā Hūdu mā ji'tanā bi-bayyinatin wa-mā naḥnu bi-tārikī ālihatin 'an qawlika wa-mā naḥnu laka bi-mu'minīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The people of 'Ad arrogantly reject Prophet Hud's message, demanding clear proof while simultaneously refusing to abandon their idols based on his call alone, and declaring their absolute rejection of faith in him. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse exemplifies the stubbornness of those who reject prophets despite clear signs, as they set impossible conditions while their hearts are already sealed against belief. The Qur'an portrays their response as stemming from spiritual blindness and prideful attachment to their ancestral practices rather than genuine intellectual doubt.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Prophet Hud's message to the people of 'Ad in Meccan surah Hud. It reflects the historical rejection of the prophet by his community and was revealed to reassure Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that such rejection of messengers is not new, establishing a pattern in human history of those who prefer misguidance to guidance despite clear evidence.
Related Hadiths
The principle of rejecting signs is referenced in various hadiths about the closing of hearts. A related theme appears in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that those who reject faith do so not from lack of knowledge but from arrogance and envy. The story of 'Ad's rejection is also mentioned in the hadith collections regarding the destruction of those who deny the messengers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that hardened hearts often reject truth not due to insufficient evidence but due to pride, attachment to worldly customs, and spiritual blindness—a reminder that effective da'wah requires both clear communication and divine guidance, as human conviction ultimately depends on sincere hearts willing to accept truth.