Tafseer of The letter Saad · Saad · 38:8
Has the message been revealed to him out of [all of] us?" Rather, they are in doubt about My message. Rather, they have not yet tasted My punishment.
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 statement concerning the explanation of His word, the Exalted: أَؤُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ (8) ("Has the Reminder been sent down upon him from among us? No, they are in doubt about My Reminder; no, they have not yet tasted My punishment")
He, exalted is His mention, says, reporting about the statement of these polytheists (mushrikīn) of Quraysh: has the Reminder been sent down upon Muḥammad from among us, so that he is distinguished by it, while in lineage he is no nobler than we are? And His word بَلْ هُمْ فِي شَكٍّ مِنْ ذِكْرِي ("No, they are in doubt about My Reminder") — He, exalted is His mention, says: it is not that these polytheists are not people of knowledge concerning the fact that Muḥammad is truthful, but rather they are in doubt about Our revelation to him and about this Qurʾān which We have sent down to him, that it is from with Us. بَلْ لَمَّا يَذُوقُوا عَذَابِ ("no, they have not yet tasted My punishment") — He says: no, Our might has not yet descended upon them, so that they would taste the evil consequences of their denial of Muḥammad and their doubt concerning Our sending down of this Qurʾān upon him. And if they were to taste the punishment (ʿadhāb) on account of that, then they would know the reality and know with certainty that which they deny, at a time when their knowledge would no longer avail them.
