قالَ أَوَلَو جِئتُكُم بِأَهدىٰ مِمّا وَجَدتُم عَلَيهِ آباءَكُم ۖ قالوا إِنّا بِما أُرسِلتُم بِهِ كافِرونَ

He would say: ‘What! Even if I bring you a better guidance than what you found your fathers following?!’ They would say: ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you are sent with.’

EXEGESIS

The pronoun in He would say refers to the warner mentioned in the previous verse, i.e. a prophet of God, whilst the direct addressees are the affluent ones also mentioned in the previous verse.[1]

Some exegetes have read the first word of this verse as qul (say) which is understood as an injunction to Prophet Muhammad (s) to respond as such.[2] However, the famous reading is qāla (he would say), which is more in line with the context of the verse as this is a continuation of the response of the warner to the argument of the polytheists who were mentioned in the previous verse. In modern Arabic script, the way qul and qāla are written, whereby the letter alif is written as an individual consonant in qāla, makes it impossible to confuse the two words. However, the Quranic text is slightly different in that some words are written with a dagger alif or superscript alif which is seen as a short vertical stroke above another consonant. The word qāla appears in the Quran in both forms, with the letter alif written separately or as a dagger alif above the letter qāf. When used in the latter form, as in the current verse, it can lead to a difference of opinion as to whether the word intended is qul or qāla.

The word ahdā (better guidance), denoting a superior form of guidance, draws a comparison between the guidance provided by the prophets and the creed of the polytheists’ forefathers. This superlative comparative form suggests that both sources offered guidance, but the message brought by the prophets was of a higher or more comprehensive nature. Some commentators have acknowledged the possibility that the forefathers’ creed may have contained some guidance that was superseded by the teachings of later prophets.[3] The majority of exegetes, however, dispute the notion that the false creeds of the polytheists’ forefathers may have held any valid guidance. These scholars propose an alternative understanding of the prophets’ statements, suggesting that their apparent acknowledgment of guidance in the false creeds was not a genuine concession but rather a rhetorical strategy employed in the course of arguments and debates. By appearing to accept certain premises put forth by their adversaries, the prophets were able to more effectively present their own counterarguments and ultimately strengthen their case.[4] In this case, it as if the polytheists were being invited towards the true guidance in the following manner: if what you claim as the creed of your forefathers is true and contains guidance, then what we, the prophets, have brought contains superior guidance, and thus has all the more reason to be accepted.[5]

Other exegetes have said that in some instances the superlative when used in comparisons does not necessarily indicate that both sides of the comparison hold that specific quality. For example, statements like ‘faith is better than disbelief’ cannot be understood as ‘both faith and disbelief have some goodness, but faith is better’. Similarly, the phrase here, Even if I bring you a better guidance, does not necessarily imply that their false creeds contained some level of guidance.[6]

EXPOSITION

This verse demonstrates both the logical reasoning and exemplary etiquette employed by the prophets in addressing the arguments of the polytheists. Rather than directly accusing them of lying, or stating that their ancestral creed was a fabrication, the prophets encouraged their adversaries to contemplate the superior guidance offered by divine religion. By adopting a measured and thoughtful approach, the prophets not only presented a persuasive counterargument, but also exemplified the ideal conduct expected of those who seek to share divine wisdom and promote understanding.[7]

This can be seen more clearly based on the view that the phrase Even if I bring you a better guidance means an apparent acceptance of the claim of the adversary in order to engage and make a point. This kind of rhetoric can also be seen in 34:24: Indeed either we or you are rightly guided or in manifest error. The Holy Prophet knew that he was on the right path, but in order to compel the adversary to ponder, he spoke as if both sides were equally likely to have been on the right path.[8]

Despite the prophets’ well-reasoned and thoughtful arguments, the polytheists remained obstinate in their opposition. Due to their immersion in ignorance, prejudice, and animosity, they were unable to offer a logical rebuttal, resorting instead to outright denial, declaring, We indeed disbelieve in what you are sent with. Their unwillingness to engage in reasoned discourse and their swift rejection of the prophets’ propositions illustrate the profound influence that preconceptions and hostilities can have on an individual’s capacity for open-minded engagement and critical thinking.

[1] Mizan, 18/93.
[2] Tibyan, 9/192; Tabrisi, 9/68.
[3] Mudarrisi, 12/455.
[4] Mizan, 18/93; Qaraati, 8/446.
[5] Tibyan, 9/192; Tabrisi, 9/68.
[6] Atyab, 12/20.
[7] Amthal, 16/36.
[8] Munyah, 25/180.