وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَيَقْذِفُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ مِن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍ 53
Translations
And they had already disbelieved in it before and would assault the unseen from a place far away.
Transliteration
Wa qad kafarū bihi min qablu wa yaqdhifūna bil-ghaybi min makānin ba'īd
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the disbelievers who rejected the Qur'an before even hearing its full message, and who make unfounded accusations and claims about it from a distance without true knowledge or understanding. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the phrase 'throwing at the unseen from a far place' refers to their baseless criticisms and false attributions made without genuine comprehension of the Qur'an's message, reflecting their stubborn refusal to accept guidance despite its clarity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Saba's discussion of the disbelievers' rejection of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The surah addresses the Meccan polytheists who consistently rejected the message despite its eloquence and truth, making unfounded objections from ignorance rather than rational inquiry.
Related Hadiths
The thematic concept relates to Sahih Bukhari's hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that those who speak about Allah without knowledge are among the most despicable, as they reject the clear message due to arrogance and ignorance rather than legitimate intellectual grounds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against rejecting truth based on prejudice or inherited beliefs rather than genuine examination, and reminds us that baseless criticism of divine guidance often stems from ignorance and distance from the source of knowledge. For modern readers, it is a call to approach religious and truthful messages with openness, sincerity, and proper understanding rather than dismissive attitudes.