Tafseer of Jonas · Yunus · 10:15
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Bring us a Qur'an other than this or change it." Say, [O Muhammad], "It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the words of Allah the Exalted: وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِي إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (And when Our clear signs are recited to them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say: "Bring a Qurʾān other than this, or change it." Say: "It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I follow only what is revealed to me. Truly, I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.") (10:15)
Abū Jaʿfar says — Allah the Exalted speaks: When the signs of the Book of Allah, which We have sent down to you, O Muḥammad, are recited to these polytheists (mushrikīn) — clear, plain signs that point to the truth — then those who do not expect the meeting with Us, that is, those who do not fear Our punishment, who do not believe with certainty in the return to Us, and who do not believe in the resurrection — they say to you: "Bring a Qurʾān other than this, or change it." That is: or alter it. "Say" to them, O Muḥammad: "It is not for me to change it of my own accord." That is: from myself.
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As for the alteration they desired: it has been mentioned that they wished he would turn a verse of threat into a verse of promise, and a verse of promise into a threat, the forbidden into the permitted and the permitted into the forbidden. Allah commanded His Prophet ﷺ to inform them that this is not for him, but for the One whose judgment is not held back and whose decision is not afterward revised. He is only a messenger who conveys and who obeys what he has been commanded.
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His word: إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلا مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ — Say to them: in everything that I command you, O people, and forbid you, I follow only what my Lord sends down to me and what He commands me. إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ — That is: I fear Allah, if I transgress His command, change the rulings of His Book, alter His revelation, and thereby disobey Him — the punishment (ʿadhāb) of a Day whose awesomeness is tremendous. And that is: the Day on which every nursing woman forgets what she nurses, every pregnant woman lays down her burden, and on which you see the people drunk while they are not drunk.
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Footnotes:
(1) See the explanation of "tilāwa" in the preceding, volume 13: 502, note 3, and the sources mentioned there.
(2) See the explanation of "bayyināt" in the preceding linguistic registers under (bayn).
(3) See the explanation of "al-rajāʾ" in the preceding, p. 34, note 2, and the sources mentioned there.
(4) See the explanation of "al-tabdīl" in the preceding, volume 11: 335 / volume 12: 62, and the linguistic registers under (badala).
(5) See the explanation of "tilqāʾ" in the preceding, volume 12: 466.
(6) See the explanation of "al-waḥy" in the preceding linguistic registers under (waḥy).
(7) This is a reference to the verse of Sūrat al-Ḥajj: 2.
