Surah Ibrahim: Verse 9 - ألم يأتكم نبأ الذين من... - English

Tafsir of Verse 9, Surah Ibrahim

أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ ۛ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۛ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۚ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ فَرَدُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِىٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ ﴿9﴾

Display verse 9, Surah Ibrahim in the Quran

English Translation

Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and \'Aad and Thamud and those after them? No one knows them but Allah. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt." (9)

English Transliteration

Alam yatikum nabao allatheena min qablikum qawmi noohin waAAadin wathamooda waallatheena min baAAdihim la yaAAlamuhum illa Allahu jaathum rusuluhum bialbayyinati faraddoo aydiyahum fee afwahihim waqaloo inna kafarna bima orsiltum bihi wainna lafee shakkin mimma tadAAoonana ilayhi mureebun (9)

Tafsir of Verse 9

Has there not come to you the tidings of those who were before you -- the people of Noah, Ad, Thamood, and of those after them whom none knows but God? Their Messengers came to them with the clear signs; but they thrust their hands into their mouths, saying, 'We certainly disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with, and we are in doubt, concerning that you call us unto, disquieting.' (9)

Has not the story reached you, (O people!), of those who (went) before you? - of the people of Noah, and 'Ad, and Thamud? - And of those who (came) after them? None knows them but Allah. To them came messengers with Clear (Signs); but they put their hands up to their mouths, and said: "We do deny (the mission) on which ye have been sent, and we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which ye invite us." (9)

Earlier Nations disbelieved in Their Prophets

Allah narrated to this Ummah (followers of Muhammad ) the stories of the people of Prophet Nuh, `Ad and Thamud, and other ancient nations that belied their Messengers. Only Allah knows the count of these nations,

جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ

(To them came their Messengers with clear proofs,) they brought them evidences and plain, tremendous proofs and signs. Ibn Ishaq reported that `Amr bin Maymun said that `Abdullah said about Allah's statement,

لاَ يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ

(None knows them but Allah.) "The genealogists utter lies." This is why `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "We did not find anyone who knows the forefathers of Ma`dd bin `Adnan."

Meaning of, "They put Their Hands in Their Mouths

Allah said next,

فَرَدُّواْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ

(but they put their hands in their mouths) It is said that they pointed to the Messengers' mouths asking them to stop calling them to Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored. It is also said that it means, they placed their hands on their mouths in denial of the Messengers. It was also said that it means that they did not answer the call of the Messengers, or they were biting their hands in rage. Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b and Qatadah said that they belied the Messengers and refuted their call with their mouths. I (Ibn Kathir) say that Mujahid's Tafsir is supported by the completion of the narrative,

وَقَالُواْ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ

(and said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are really in grave doubt as to that to which you invite us.") Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "When they heard Allah's Word, they were amazed and placed their hands on their mouths,"

وَقَالُواْ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ

(and said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.") They said, We do not believe what you brought us, and have strong doubt in its authenticity. '

(9)

Verse 9 - Surah Ibrahim: (ألم يأتكم نبأ الذين من قبلكم قوم نوح وعاد وثمود ۛ والذين من بعدهم ۛ لا يعلمهم إلا الله ۚ...) - English