Quran Universe
11:53

قَالُواْ يَٰهُودُ مَا جِئۡتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٖ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِتَارِكِيٓ ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوۡلِكَ وَمَا نَحۡنُ لَكَ بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Qaloo ya hoodu ma jitana bibayyinatin wama nahnu bitarikee alihatina AAan qawlika wama nahnu laka bimumineena

They said, "O Hud, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not ones to leave our gods on your say-so. Nor are we believers in you.

Word by word
  1. قَالُواْThey said
  2. يَٰهُودُO Hud
  3. مَاYou have not brought us
  4. جِئۡتَنَاYou have not brought us
  5. بِبَيِّنَةٖclear proofs
  6. وَمَاand not
  7. نَحۡنُwe
  8. بِتَارِكِيٓ(will) leave
  9. ءَالِهَتِنَاour gods
  10. عَنon
  11. قَوۡلِكَyour saying
  12. وَمَاand not
  13. نَحۡنُwe (are)
  14. لَكَin you
  15. بِمُؤۡمِنِينَbelievers
Hud · 11:53Makkah

We will not leave our gods on your word.

Calling it no proof to avoid changing

'Ad's three refusals
no proofyou brought nothing
we keep our godsnot for your saying
we do not believein you
What "no proof" meant
honest doubtwe need evidence
unwillingnesswe will not let go

'Ad answered Hud: you have brought us no clear proof, and we will not leave our gods just because you say so. They asked how his mere words could be enough. Yet Ibn Kathir notes the idols they defended could not hear, see, help, or harm.

You know the habit is hurting you: the late-night scrolling, the gossip, the loan you keep rolling over. Someone warns you and you say, "Prove it." Sometimes asking for proof is a way to keep holding on.

I will change when someone gives me enough proof.

Often I already know; asking for more proof can be a way to avoid letting go.

Try this

Name one thing you keep asking for "more proof" about before changing. Take one step anyway.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

They said: "O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you (53)All that we say is that some of our gods (false deities) have seized you with evil (madness). He said: "I call Allah to witness and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship (54)Besides Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. (55)I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth)(56)

The Conversation between (the People of) 'Ad and Hud

Allah, the Exalted, informs that they said to their Prophet,

مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ

(No evidence have you brought us.) This means that they claimed that Hud had not brought them any proof or evidence for what he claimed.

وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِي آلِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ

(and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying!) They were saying how could his mere statement, "Leave these gods," be sufficient proof for them to leave their idols?

وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ

(and we are not believers in you.) This means that they did not believe what he was saying was true.

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ آلِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ

(All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.) They were saying, "We think that some of our idols have afflicted you with madness and insanity in your intellect because you are trying to stop them from being worshipped and defame them."

قَالَ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ وَاشْهَدُوا أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ - مِن دُونِهِ

(He said: "I call Allah to witness and bear you witness, that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship besides Him (Allah).)[11:54-55] Here, he is saying, "Verily, I am innocent of all of the rivals and idols (that you associate with Allah).

فَكِيدُونِي جَمِيعًا

(So plot against me, all of you,) you and your gods if they are true."

ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ

(and give me no respite.) the blinking of an eye." Then, Allah says,

إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُم ۚ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا

(I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock.)

Every creature is under His (Allah's) power and His authority. He is the Best Judge, the Most Just, Who does not do any injustice in His ruling. For verily, He is upon the straight path.

Verily, this argument contains a far-reaching proof and absolute evidence of the truthfulness of what Hud had come to them with. It also proves the falsehood of them worshipping idols that could not benefit nor harm them. Rather, these idols were inanimate objects that could not hear, see, befriend, or make enmity. The only One Who is worthy of having worship directed solely towards Him is Allah alone, without any partners. He is the One in Whose Hand is the sovereignty and He is in control of all things. There is nothing except that it is under His ownership, power and authority. Thus, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him and there is no Lord other than Him.