Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Hafiz Ibn Kathir
النحل
An-Nahl
128 versets
وَإِذَا بَدَّلۡنَآ ءَايَةٗ مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٖ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفۡتَرِۭۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
Quand Nous remplaçons un verset par un autre - et Allah sait mieux ce qu'Il fait descendre - ils disent: «Tu n'es qu'un menteur». Mais la plupart d'entre eux ne savent pas
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
The Idolators' Accusation that the Prophet was a Liar since some Ayat were abrogated, and the Refutation of their Claim Allah tells us of the weak minds of the idolators, and their lack of faith and conviction. He explains that it is impossible for them to have faith when He has decreed that they are doomed. When they saw that some rulings had been changed by being abrogated, they said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ (You are but a forger) meaning one who tells lies. But Allah is the Lord Who does whatever He wills, and rules as He wants. بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةً مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍ (And when We change a verse (of the Qur'an) in place of another) Mujahid said: this means, "We remove one and put another in its place." Qatadah said: this is like the Ayah: مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا (Whatever verse We change abrogate or omit the abrogated...)" (2:106). Allah said, in response to them: قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ (Say: "Ruh-ul-Qudus has brought it...") meaning, Jibril, مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ (from your Lord with truth, ) meaning, with truthfulness and justice لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ (for the conviction of those who believe,) so that they will believe what was revealed earlier and what was revealed later, and humble themselves towards Allah. وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ (and as a guide and good news for the Muslims.) meaning He has made it a guide and good news to the Muslims who believe in Allah and His Messengers.
قُلۡ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلۡقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهُدٗى وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ
Dis: «C'est le Saint Esprit [Gabriel] qui l'a fait descendre de la part de ton Seigneur en toute vérité, afin de raffermir [la foi] de ceux qui croient, ainsi qu'un guide et une bonne annonce pour les Musulmans.»
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
The Idolators' Accusation that the Prophet was a Liar since some Ayat were abrogated, and the Refutation of their Claim Allah tells us of the weak minds of the idolators, and their lack of faith and conviction. He explains that it is impossible for them to have faith when He has decreed that they are doomed. When they saw that some rulings had been changed by being abrogated, they said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ (You are but a forger) meaning one who tells lies. But Allah is the Lord Who does whatever He wills, and rules as He wants. بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةً مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍ (And when We change a verse (of the Qur'an) in place of another) Mujahid said: this means, "We remove one and put another in its place." Qatadah said: this is like the Ayah: مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا (Whatever verse We change abrogate or omit the abrogated...)" (2:106). Allah said, in response to them: قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ (Say: "Ruh-ul-Qudus has brought it...") meaning, Jibril, مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ (from your Lord with truth, ) meaning, with truthfulness and justice لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ (for the conviction of those who believe,) so that they will believe what was revealed earlier and what was revealed later, and humble themselves towards Allah. وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ (and as a guide and good news for the Muslims.) meaning He has made it a guide and good news to the Muslims who believe in Allah and His Messengers.
وَلَقَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ أَنَّهُمۡ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٞۗ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِي يُلۡحِدُونَ إِلَيۡهِ أَعۡجَمِيّٞ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيّٞ مُّبِينٌ
Et Nous savons parfaitement qu'ils disent: «Ce n'est qu'un être humain qui lui enseigne (le Coran)». Or, la langue de celui auquel ils font allusion est étrangère [non arabe], et celle-ci est une langue arabe bien claire
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
The Idolators' Claim that the Qur'an was taught by a Human, and the Refutation of their Claim Allah tells us about the idolators' lies, allegations, and slander when they claimed that this Qur'an which Muhammad had recited for them, was actually taught to him by a human. They referred to a foreign (i.e., non-Arab) man who lived among them as the servant of some of the clans of Quraysh and who used to sell goods by As-Safa. Maybe the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sit with him sometimes and talk to him a little, but he was a foreigner who did not know much Arabic, only enough simple phrases to answer questions when he had to. So in refutation of their claims of fabrication, Allah said: لِّسَانُ الَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّ وَهَـذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ (The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur'an) is a (in) clear Arabic tongue.) meaning, how could it be that this Qur'an with its eloquent style and perfect meanings, which is more perfect than any Book revealed to any previously sent Prophet, have been learnt from a foreigner who hardly speaks the language No one with the slightest amount of common sense would say such a thing.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَهۡدِيهِمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Ceux qui ne croient pas aux versets d'Allah, Allah ne les guide pas. Et ils ont un châtiment douloureux
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَـتِ اللَّهِ (Verily, those who do not believe in Allah's Ayat,) Allah will not guide them, and theirs will be a painful punishment, meaning, the disbelievers and heretics who are known to the people as liars. The Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, on the other hand, was the most honest and righteous of people, the most perfect in knowledge, deeds, faith and conviction. He was known among his people for his truthfulness and no one among them had any doubts about that - to such an extent that they always addressed him as Al-Amin (the Trustworthy) Muhammad. Thus when Heraclius, the king of the Romans, asked Abu Sufyan about the attributes of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one of the things he said to him was, "Did you ever accuse him of lying before he made his claim" Abu Sufyan said, "No". Heraclius said, "He would refrain from lying about people and then go and fabricate lies about Allah"
إِنَّمَا يَفۡتَرِي ٱلۡكَذِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰذِبُونَ
Seuls forgent le mensonge ceux qui ne croient pas aux versets d'Allah; et tels sont les menteurs
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir
الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَـتِ اللَّهِ (Verily, those who do not believe in Allah's Ayat,) Allah will not guide them, and theirs will be a painful punishment, meaning, the disbelievers and heretics who are known to the people as liars. The Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, on the other hand, was the most honest and righteous of people, the most perfect in knowledge, deeds, faith and conviction. He was known among his people for his truthfulness and no one among them had any doubts about that - to such an extent that they always addressed him as Al-Amin (the Trustworthy) Muhammad. Thus when Heraclius, the king of the Romans, asked Abu Sufyan about the attributes of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one of the things he said to him was, "Did you ever accuse him of lying before he made his claim" Abu Sufyan said, "No". Heraclius said, "He would refrain from lying about people and then go and fabricate lies about Allah"