أَفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَم بِهِۦ جِنَّةٌۢ ۗ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ وَٱلضَّلَـٰلِ ٱلْبَعِيدِ 8
Translations
Has he invented about Allāh a lie or is there in him madness?" Rather, they who do not believe in the Hereafter will be in the punishment and [are in] extreme error.
Transliteration
Aftará alá Allahi kathiban am bihi jinnah? Bal alladhina lá yu'minuna bi-al-ákhirati fi al-adhabi wa-al-dhalál al-baíd.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the disbelievers' accusations against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), asking whether he fabricated lies against Allah or suffers from madness. The ayah refutes both accusations, clarifying that those who truly err are those who deny the Hereafter, for they are the ones in severe punishment and profound misguidance. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this verse defends the Prophet's integrity while emphasizing that the real delusion belongs to those who reject accountability in the afterlife.
Revelation Context
Surah Saba is a Meccan surah revealed during the period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message. This ayah responds to the Quraysh's attempts to discredit the Prophet by accusing him of fabrication or mental illness—common tactics used by the disbelievers to undermine his credibility and discourage followers from accepting the Message of Tawhid.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most truthful of you in speech and the most trustworthy among you in fulfilling trusts' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, 3641), referring to how even his enemies acknowledged his honesty before revelation. This contrasts sharply with accusations of lying in 34:8.
Themes
Key Lesson
True misguidance is not intellectual disagreement but the willful rejection of accountability to Allah and the reality of the Hereafter; believers should remain steadfast when facing accusations and slander, knowing that Allah's truth ultimately prevails over human fabrications.