يَـٰحَسْرَةً عَلَى ٱلْعِبَادِ ۚ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ 30
Translations
How regretful for the servants. There did not come to them any messenger except that they used to ridicule him.
Transliteration
Yā hasratan 'alal-'ibād; mā ya'tīhim mir-rasūlin illā kānū bihī yastahzi'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses grief and sorrow (hasrah) over the servants of Allah who persistently mock and ridicule every messenger sent to them. The verse emphasizes the tragic pattern of human rejection and mockery toward divine guidance throughout history. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this reflects Allah's compassion for humanity despite their stubborn rejection, and highlights the consistent opposition faced by all messengers regardless of their message's clarity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Ya-Sin's discussion of the People of the City (Ashab al-Qaryah) who rejected their messengers. The broader surah addresses the disbelievers of Mecca and those throughout history who mocked the prophets. The verse illustrates the recurring theme of human rejection of divine truth, which provides comfort to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding the mockery he faced.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most severely tested people are the prophets, then the righteous, then the next best' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2398). Additionally, the Quran states in 36:30 that mockery of messengers is a historical pattern, reinforced by Hadith Qudsi: 'Whoever shows enmity to a wali (friend) of Mine, I have declared war upon him' (Sahih Bukhari 5007).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that rejection of divine truth and mockery of those who convey it is a recurring human tragedy, and that patience in the face of ridicule for upholding faith is a noble path. It should inspire believers to be compassionate toward those in error while remaining steadfast in conveying the message of Allah with wisdom and gentleness.