Surah As-Saffat — Verse 36

Key Words and Phrases:

• Ālihatinā (آلِهَتِنَا): Our gods — referring to the idols and false deities the polytheists of Quraysh worshipped.
• Li-shā‘irin majnūn (لِشَاعِرٍ مَّجْنُونٍ): For a poet possessed by madness — this was their insulting description of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), falsely claiming he was a poet or a madman.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this verse, Allah (Exalted be He) exposes the arrogant and dismissive attitude of the disbelievers of Quraysh. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called them to worship Allah alone and to abandon their idols, they responded with mockery and false accusations. They said: "Shall we really abandon our gods and the worship of our idols just because of what a poet possessed by madness says?" — referring to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They tried to undermine his message by labelling him with false titles, claiming he was either a poet reciting verses or a madman uttering incoherent speech. This was their feeble attempt to dissuade people from following the truth, and to justify their stubborn persistence in polytheism.

This verse reveals the depth of their prejudice and the weakness of their arguments. They had no rational proof against the message of monotheism, so they resorted to personal attacks and baseless accusations. Yet, the Qur’an itself refutes their claims, for the words of the Qur’an are not poetry, and the Prophet’s character, wisdom, and conduct were the clearest proof that he was neither a poet nor a madman. He was the most truthful, the most trustworthy, and the most sane of all people.

A Da‘wah Reflection for the Reader:

Dear reader, reflect on how the enemies of truth throughout history have always resorted to the same tactics — labelling the bearers of truth with false names to discredit them. But truth remains truth, regardless of how many labels are stuck upon it. The message of Islam — to worship Allah alone, the Creator and Sustainer of all — is the message that resonates with the pure human nature (fitrah). When you hear such accusations today, remember that they are nothing new; they are echoes of the same words spoken by the Quraysh fourteen centuries ago. And look at the outcome: the Prophet (peace be upon him) triumphed, Islam spread across the globe, and the idols were shattered — both the physical ones and the intellectual falsehoods. So hold firm to the truth, for Allah’s promise is true, and He will always support His religion and His sincere servants. Let this verse be a reminder that the path of truth may be hard at first, but its end is glorious, both in this world and in the Hereafter.