Tafseer of Jonas · Yunus · 10:39
Rather, they have denied that which they encompass not in knowledge and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Thus did those before them deny. Then observe how was the end of the wrongdoers.
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 exposition of the interpretation of His exalted word: بَلْ كَذَّبُوا بِمَا لَمْ يُحِيطُوا بِعِلْمِهِ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُ كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ (Nay, they denied that whose knowledge they could not encompass, while its interpretation had not yet come to them. Thus did those before them deny. So look how was the end of the wrongdoers.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted is His mention, says: It is not that these idolaters, O Muḥammad, deny you, but rather they deny that whose knowledge they could not encompass of what Allah has sent down upon you in this Qurʾān — namely the threat against them on account of their disbelief in their Lord. وَلَمَّا يَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِيلُهُ (while its interpretation had not yet come to them) — He says: and the clarification of that to which that threat will lead, with which Allah has threatened them in this Qurʾān, has not yet come to them. كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ (Thus did those before them deny) — He, exalted is His mention, says: just as these idolaters, O Muḥammad, denied the threat of Allah, so did the communities that perished before them deny the threat of Allah against them on account of their denial of their messengers and their disbelief in their Lord. فَانْظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ (So look how was the end of the wrongdoers) — He, exalted is His mention, says to His prophet Muḥammad, Allah's blessings and peace be upon him: Look, O Muḥammad, how was the outcome of the disbelief of whoever disbelieved in Allah. Did We not destroy some of them by the earthquake, and some of them by the swallowing-up, and some of them by the drowning? He says: the end of these who deny you and reject My signs among the disbelievers of your people will be like the end of the disbelieving communities before them was, if they do not turn back from their disbelief and do not hasten to repentance.
