40:5

كَذَّبَتۡ قَبۡلَهُمۡ قَوۡمُ نُوحٖ وَٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡۖ وَهَمَّتۡ كُلُّ أُمَّةِۭ بِرَسُولِهِمۡ لِيَأۡخُذُوهُۖ وَجَٰدَلُواْ بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ لِيُدۡحِضُواْ بِهِ ٱلۡحَقَّ فَأَخَذۡتُهُمۡۖ فَكَيۡفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

Kaththabat qablahum qawmu noohin waalahzabu min baAAdihim wahammat kullu ommatin birasoolihim liyakhuthoohu wajadaloo bialbatili liyudhidoo bihi alhaqqa faakhathtuhum fakayfa kana AAiqabi

The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty.

Word by word
  1. كَذَّبَتۡDenied
  2. قَبۡلَهُمۡbefore them
  3. قَوۡمُ(the) people
  4. نُوحٖ(of) Nuh
  5. وَٱلۡأَحۡزَابُand the factions
  6. مِنۢafter them
  7. بَعۡدِهِمۡۖafter them
  8. وَهَمَّتۡand plotted
  9. كُلُّevery
  10. أُمَّةِۭnation
  11. بِرَسُولِهِمۡagainst their Messenger
  12. لِيَأۡخُذُوهُۖto seize him
  13. وَجَٰدَلُواْand they disputed
  14. بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِby falsehood
  15. لِيُدۡحِضُواْto refute
  16. بِهِthereby
  17. ٱلۡحَقَّthe truth
  18. فَأَخَذۡتُهُمۡۖSo I seized them
  19. فَكَيۡفَThen how
  20. كَانَwas
  21. عِقَابِMy penalty
Ghafir · 40:5Makkah

Every nation had its arguments against the truth.

The Prophet ﷺ is shown he is not the first


The old pattern
people of Nuhthe first to deny
the factions afternation after nation
plot and argue
seizedhow was My penalty
Their method
falsehoodclever arguments
to topple
the truthplain and clear

Ibn Kathir says Allah consoles the Prophet ﷺ here. The people of Nuh and those after them all did the same: they plotted against their messenger and argued with falsehood to knock down a truth that was plain.

You know you are right about something good, but the family group chat keeps throwing new arguments at you. It wears you down. This pattern is older than you. Clever objections do not make the truth less true.

If I cannot answer every objection, maybe I am the one who is wrong.

Truth has always faced clever arguments. Losing a debate does not make it false.

Try this

Stop replying to one argument that is only draining you. Make dua for the person instead.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 40:4)

None disputes in the Ayat of Allah but those who disbelieve. So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land (for their purposes) deceive you (4)The people of Nuh and the groups after them denied before these; and every nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them, and how was My punishment (5)Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire (6)

One of the Attributes of the Disbelievers is That they dispute the Ayat of Allah - and The Consequences of that

Allah tells us that no one rejects or disputes His signs after clear proof has come,

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

(but those who disbelieve), i.e., those who reject the signs of Allah and His proof and evidence.

فَلَا يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِي الْبِلَادِ

(So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you!) means, their wealth and luxurious life. This is like the Ayah:

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ - مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

(Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.)(3:196-197)

نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.)(31:24).

Then Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the rejection of his people. He tells him that he has an example in the Prophets who came before him, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, for their nations disbelieved them and opposed them, and only a few believed in them.

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ

(The people of Nuh denied before these;) Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.

وَالْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ

(and the groups after them) means, from every nation.

وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ ۖ 

(and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,) means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.

وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ 

(and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.) means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.

فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ

(So I seized them) means, 'I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

(and how was My punishment!) means, 'how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.' Qatadah said, "It was terrible, by Allah."

وَكَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ

(Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire.) means, 'just as the Word of punishment was justified against those of the past nations who disbelieved, so too is it justified against these disbelievers who have rejected you and gone against you, O Muhammad, and it is even more justified against them, because if they have disbelieved in you, there is no certainty that they will believe in any other Prophet.' And Allah knows best.