وَما يَأتيهِم مِن نَبِيٍّ إِلّا كانوا بِهِ يَستَهزِئونَ
There did not come to them any prophet but that they used to deride him.
EXEGESIS
The use of the present tense in yaʾtīhim (come to them) emphasises that this was a persistent practice, rather than an isolated occurrence. It conveys the idea that the derision of prophets was not an anomaly, but an ongoing, established custom.
Yastahziʾūn (deride) is from the verb hazaʾa (noun: huzūʾ), which is to scoff, mock, jeer, laugh, make fun of, deride, or ridicule, the infinitive being istihzāʾ.
They are condemned because their derision is after having known the truth and not in ignorance (9:65, 11:8, 15:11, 4:140, 6:10). Most verses that use the term huzūʾ do so in lamenting how the unrighteous ridicule and mock God’s prophets and signs.
EXPOSITION
This verse further elaborates God’s customary approach, emphasising that reminders were never withheld from any group due to their transgressions. Despite the consistent sending of apostles, the result was often rejection and mockery of the apostle, arising from the group’s arrogance and ignorance. This pattern is also observed in other verses, such as 15:10-11. God further addresses this issue in 36:30, lamenting, How regrettable of the servants! There did not come to them any apostle but that they used to deride him.
One may wonder why then does God send messengers when He knows that people will not believe in them and would deride them? The response is that firstly, it is not always the case that everyone rejects the message. For some prophets, a small group of people accepted their message, such as Prophet Noah’s (a) community that is described as, And none believed with him except a few (11:40). For other prophets, a vast number of people accept their message, such as Prophet Muhammad (s), who initially had few supporters, but by the end of his efforts, had managed to practically convert most of Arabia.
Secondly, perhaps not sending an apostle would lead them to commit many more sins compared to what they committed after the coming of the apostles, and thus the sending of prophets is necessarily a divine grace (luṭf).
Thirdly, the sending of apostles is a means of making man capable of carrying out that which he is tasked with, for without apostles, man would not have been able to recognise his religious duties through his intellect alone. As such, the sending of apostles with divine prescriptions is a proof against those who choose not to accept the truth.
This verse serves as an additional source of comfort for the Holy Prophet, reminding him that his community’s derision is not an isolated occurrence. He should take solace in the knowledge that previous prophets encountered similar trials and tribulations, thereby affirming his place within a long tradition of divine messengers who faced adversity.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”
[1] Zamakhshari, 4/237.
[2] Tibyan, 9/183.
[3] Razi, 27/619; Kashif, 6/538.
[4] Acts 17:32.