Tafseer of The Bee · An-Nahl · 16:113
And there had certainly come to them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him; so punishment overtook them while they were 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.
Allah, the Exalted, says: And to the inhabitants of this settlement, whose characteristics Allah described in the verse before this verse, there came رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ (a messenger from among themselves) — that is, the Prophet ﷺ from their own midst, whom they knew and whose lineage and truthfulness of speech they knew, calling to the Truth and to a straight path. فَكَذَّبُوهُ — and they rejected him and did not accept what he had brought them from Allah. فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ (and the punishment (ʿadhāb) seized them) — that is the garment of hunger and fear in place of the security, the tranquility, and the ample provision that they had received before, as well as slaughter by the sword. وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ — Allah says: while they were polytheists (mushrikīn); and this is so because their nobles were killed by the sword on the day of Badr on account of their polytheism.
The explanation that we have given is also the view of the exegetes.
Those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda concerning وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ : yes, by Allah, they knew his lineage and his affair; فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ — Allah seized them with hunger, fear, and slaughter.
