Tafseer of Sheba · Saba · 34:43
And when our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, "This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping." And they say, "This is not except a lie invented." And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, "This is not but obvious magic."
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 saying of the Exalted: وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلا إِفْكٌ مُفْتَرًى وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ (34:43) (And when Our clear signs are recited to them, they say: This is nothing but a man who wishes to turn you away from what your forefathers worshipped. And they said: This is nothing but a fabricated lie. And those who disbelieved said of the truth when it came to them: This is nothing but manifest sorcery.)
The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: And when the signs of Our Book are recited to these polytheists (mushrikīn) — بَيِّنَاتٍ, He says: clear signs, that they are truth coming from Us — قَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ (they say: This is nothing but a man who wishes to turn you away from what your forefathers worshipped), He says: they then say: do not follow Muḥammad, for he is nothing but a man who wishes to turn you away from the idols that your forefathers worshipped, and who wishes to change your religion and the religion of your forefathers. وَقَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلا إِفْكٌ مُفْتَرًى (And they said: This is nothing but a fabricated lie) — the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: and these polytheists said: this which you recite to us, O Muḥammad — by it they mean the Qurʾān — is nothing but an invention, He says: nothing but a fabricated lie, He says: a fabricated, concocted falsehood. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ (And those who disbelieved said of the truth when it came to them: This is nothing but manifest sorcery) — He, whose praise is exalted, says: and the disbelievers said of the truth — by it they mean Muḥammad ﷺ — when it came to them, that is to say: when Allah had sent him as a prophet: this is manifest sorcery, He says: this is nothing but manifest sorcery, which makes clear to whoever sees it and considers it that it is sorcery.
