Surah Naml ayat 68 Tafsir Quran 27:68

﴿لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا هَٰذَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا مِن قَبْلُ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ﴾
[ النمل: 68]

27:68 We have been promised this, we and our forefathers, before. This is not but legends of the former peoples."

Already we and our fathers have been promised this before. But these are just the legendary fables of the ancients’ asātīr is the plural of ustūra meaning ‘what has been written down mā sutira of lies’.

We they add, have been promised that before and so have our fathers; this is indeed nothing but fables of old

And those who disbelieve say: "When we have become dust – we and our fathers – shall we really be brought forth? ( 67 )"Indeed we were promised this – we and our forefathers before, verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients.
( 68 )Say to them: "Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals.
( 69 )And grieve you not over them, nor be straitened ( in distress ) because of what they plot ( 70 ) Scepticism about the Resurrection and Its Refutation Allah tells us about the idolators who deny the Resurrection, considering it extremely unlikely that bodies will be re-created after they have become bones and dust.
Then He says: لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا هَٰذَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ ( Indeed we were promised this – we and our forefathers before, ) meaning, 'we and our forefathers have been hearing this for a long time, but in reality, we have never seen it happen.' إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ( verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients. ) the promises that bodies will be restored are إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ( nothing but tales of ancients. ) meaning that they were taken by the people who came before us from books which were handed down from one to the other, but they have no basis in reality.
Responding to their thoughts of disbelief and their belief that there would be no Resurrection, Allah said, قُلْ ( Say ) 'O Muhammad, to these people,' سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ( Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals. ) meaning, those who denied the Messengers and their message of the Resurrection and other matters.
See how the punishment and vengeance of Allah struck them and how Allah saved from among them the noble Messengers and the believers who followed them.
This will be an indication of the truth of the Message brought by the Messengers.
Then, to comfort the Prophet ﷺ, Allah says: وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ ( And grieve you not over them, ) meaning, 'but do not feel sorry for them or kill yourself with regret for them,' وَلَا تَكُنْ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ ( nor be straitened because of what they plot. ) means, 'because they plot against you and reject what you have brought, for Allah will help and support you, and cause your religion to prevail over those who oppose you and stubbornly resist you in the east and in the west.'

And those who disbelieve say: "When we have become dust – we and our fathers – shall we really be brought forth? ( 67 )"Indeed we were promised this – we and our forefathers before, verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients.
( 68 )Say to them: "Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals.
( 69 )And grieve you not over them, nor be straitened ( in distress ) because of what they plot ( 70 ) Scepticism about the Resurrection and Its Refutation Allah tells us about the idolators who deny the Resurrection, considering it extremely unlikely that bodies will be re-created after they have become bones and dust.
Then He says: لَقَدْ وُعِدْنَا هَٰذَا نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ ( Indeed we were promised this – we and our forefathers before, ) meaning, 'we and our forefathers have been hearing this for a long time, but in reality, we have never seen it happen.' إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ( verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients. ) the promises that bodies will be restored are إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ ( nothing but tales of ancients. ) meaning that they were taken by the people who came before us from books which were handed down from one to the other, but they have no basis in reality.
Responding to their thoughts of disbelief and their belief that there would be no Resurrection, Allah said, قُلْ ( Say ) 'O Muhammad, to these people,' سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ( Travel in the land and see how has been the end of the criminals. ) meaning, those who denied the Messengers and their message of the Resurrection and other matters.
See how the punishment and vengeance of Allah struck them and how Allah saved from among them the noble Messengers and the believers who followed them.
This will be an indication of the truth of the Message brought by the Messengers.
Then, to comfort the Prophet ﷺ, Allah says: وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ ( And grieve you not over them, ) meaning, 'but do not feel sorry for them or kill yourself with regret for them,' وَلَا تَكُنْ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ ( nor be straitened because of what they plot. ) means, 'because they plot against you and reject what you have brought, for Allah will help and support you, and cause your religion to prevail over those who oppose you and stubbornly resist you in the east and in the west.'

( We were promised this ) which you are promising us, ( forsooth, we and our fathers ) before us. ( (All ) this) which you are promising us, O Muhammad, ( is naught but fables ) tales (of the men of old.

"Indeed we were promised this, we and our forefathers before, Verily, these are nothing but tales of ancients."

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