Surah Anam ayat 156 Tafsir Quran 6:156

﴿أَن تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أُنزِلَ الْكِتَابُ عَلَىٰ طَائِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَافِلِينَ﴾
[ الأنعام: 156]

6:156 [We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"

We have revealed it lest you should say ‘The Scripture was revealed only upon two parties — the Jews and the Christians — before us and we in has been softened its noun omitted in other words read as innā indeed have been unacquainted with their study’ their reading of the scripture not knowing any of it since it is not in our own language.

We have sent it down as the spirit of truth guiding into all truth lest you people render such a reason as to say: The Book sent down to the people of Mussa and to those of Isa aforetime was expressed in their own tongues, in languages, we were not taught nor did we understand; an excuse which it shall no longer be possible to justify

The Qur'an is Allah's Proof Against His Creation Ibn Jarir commented on the Ayah, "The Ayah means, this is a Book that We sent down, so that you do not say, إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ الْكِتَـبُ عَلَى طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا ( "The Book was sent down only to two sects before us." ) This way, you will have no excuse.
Allah said in another Ayah, وَلَوْلا أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُواْ رَبَّنَا لَوْلا أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولاً فَنَتِّبِعَ ءايَـتِكَ ( Otherwise, they would have suffered a calamity because of what their hands sent forth, and said: "Our Lord! Why did You not send us a Messenger We would then have followed Your Ayat." )28:47." The Ayah, عَلَى طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا ( to two sects before us ) refers to the Jews and Christians, according to `Ali bin Abi Talhah who narrated it from Ibn `Abbas.
Similar was reported from Mujahid, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others.
Allah's statement, وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـفِلِينَ ( "...and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied." ) meaning: `we did not understand what they said because the revelation was not in our tongue.
We, indeed, were busy and unaware of their message,' so they said.
Allah said next, أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَـبُ لَكُنَّآ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ ( Or lest you should say: "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely, have been better guided than they." ) meaning: We also refuted this excuse, had you used it, lest you say, "If a Book was revealed to us, just as they received a Book, we would have been better guided than they are." Allah also said. وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَى مِنْ إِحْدَى الاٍّمَمِ ( And they swore by Allah their most binding oath that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations (before them ).) 35:42 Allah replied here, فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ ( So now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. ) Allah says, there has come to you from Allah a Glorious Qur'an revealed to Muhammad ﷺ, the Arab Prophet.
In it is the explanation of the lawful and unlawful matters, guidance for the hearts and mercy from Allah to His servants who follow and implement it.
Allah said; فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِآيَـتِ اللَّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا ( Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away therefrom ) This refers to the one who neither benefited from what the Messenger brought, nor followed what he was sent with by abandoning all other ways.
Rather, he Sadafa from following the Ayat of Allah, meaning, he discouraged and hindered people from following it.
This is the explanation of As-Suddi for Sadafa, while Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Sadafa means, he turned away from it.

(6:156) (You may no longer) say now that the Book was revealed only to two groups of people before Us  *137and that we had indeed been unaware of what they read.

[We revealed it] lest you say, "The meaning

*137).
The allusion is to the Jews and the Christians.

 

The Qur'an is Allah's Proof Against His Creation Ibn Jarir commented on the Ayah, "The Ayah means, this is a Book that We sent down, so that you do not say, إِنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ الْكِتَـبُ عَلَى طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا ( "The Book was sent down only to two sects before us." ) This way, you will have no excuse.
Allah said in another Ayah, وَلَوْلا أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُواْ رَبَّنَا لَوْلا أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولاً فَنَتِّبِعَ ءايَـتِكَ ( Otherwise, they would have suffered a calamity because of what their hands sent forth, and said: "Our Lord! Why did You not send us a Messenger We would then have followed Your Ayat." )28:47." The Ayah, عَلَى طَآئِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا ( to two sects before us ) refers to the Jews and Christians, according to `Ali bin Abi Talhah who narrated it from Ibn `Abbas.
Similar was reported from Mujahid, As-Suddi, Qatadah and several others.
Allah's statement, وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـفِلِينَ ( "...and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied." ) meaning: `we did not understand what they said because the revelation was not in our tongue.
We, indeed, were busy and unaware of their message,' so they said.
Allah said next, أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَـبُ لَكُنَّآ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ ( Or lest you should say: "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely, have been better guided than they." ) meaning: We also refuted this excuse, had you used it, lest you say, "If a Book was revealed to us, just as they received a Book, we would have been better guided than they are." Allah also said. وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ لَئِن جَآءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَى مِنْ إِحْدَى الاٍّمَمِ ( And they swore by Allah their most binding oath that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations (before them ).) 35:42 Allah replied here, فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ ( So now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. ) Allah says, there has come to you from Allah a Glorious Qur'an revealed to Muhammad ﷺ, the Arab Prophet.
In it is the explanation of the lawful and unlawful matters, guidance for the hearts and mercy from Allah to His servants who follow and implement it.
Allah said; فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِآيَـتِ اللَّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا ( Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away therefrom ) This refers to the one who neither benefited from what the Messenger brought, nor followed what he was sent with by abandoning all other ways.
Rather, he Sadafa from following the Ayat of Allah, meaning, he discouraged and hindered people from following it.
This is the explanation of As-Suddi for Sadafa, while Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Sadafa means, he turned away from it.

( Lest ye should say ) so that you will not say, O people of Mecca, on the Day of Judgement: ( The Scripture was revealed only to two sects ) the people of two religions ( before us ) i.e. the Jews and Christians, ( and we in sooth were unaware ) ignorant ( of what they read ) their reading of the Torah and the Gospel;

Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was only sent down to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied."

Page 149 English transliteration