14:10

۞قَالَتۡ رُسُلُهُمۡ أَفِي ٱللَّهِ شَكّٞ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ لِيَغۡفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمۡ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمۡ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّٗىۚ قَالُوٓاْ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا بَشَرٞ مِّثۡلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأۡتُونَا بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ

Qalat rusuluhum afee Allahi shakkun fatiri alssamawati waalardi yadAAookum liyaghfira lakum min thunoobikum wayuakhkhirakum ila ajalin musamman qaloo in antum illa basharun mithluna tureedoona an tasuddoona AAamma kana yaAAbudu abaona fatoona bisultanin mubeenin

Their messengers said, "Can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth? He invites you that He may forgive you of your sins, and He delays your death for a specified term." They said, "You are not but men like us who wish to avert us from what our fathers were worshipping. So bring us a clear authority."

Word by word
  1. ۞قَالَتۡSaid
  2. رُسُلُهُمۡtheir Messengers
  3. أَفِيCan (there) be about
  4. ٱللَّهِAllah
  5. شَكّٞany doubt
  6. فَاطِرِ(the) Creator
  7. ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ(of) the heavens
  8. وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖand the earth
  9. يَدۡعُوكُمۡHe invites you
  10. لِيَغۡفِرَso that He may forgive
  11. لَكُمfor you
  12. مِّن[of]
  13. ذُنُوبِكُمۡyour sins
  14. وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمۡand give you respite
  15. إِلَىٰٓfor
  16. أَجَلٖa term
  17. مُّسَمّٗىۚappointed
  18. قَالُوٓاْThey said
  19. إِنۡNot
  20. أَنتُمۡyou
  21. إِلَّا(are) but
  22. بَشَرٞa human
  23. مِّثۡلُنَاlike us
  24. تُرِيدُونَyou wish
  25. أَنto
  26. تَصُدُّونَاhinder us
  27. عَمَّاfrom what
  28. كَانَused to
  29. يَعۡبُدُworship
  30. ءَابَآؤُنَاour forefathers
  31. فَأۡتُونَاSo bring us
  32. بِسُلۡطَٰنٖan authority
  33. مُّبِينٖclear
Ibrahim · 14:10Makkah

Can there be doubt about the Creator of the heavens?

He calls you in order to forgive you


The messengers' answer
the Creatorof heavens and earth
calls you to
forgivenessof your sins
respitea term appointed
The real objection
just men like usour fathers' way is fine
He invites youso He may forgive

The messengers asked: can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth? Ibn Kathir says most nations accepted a Creator but called on others too. The invitation was gentle: He calls you to forgive you. They replied: you are just men like us; bring us a miracle of our choosing.

You picture Allah's call as a list of rules aimed at catching you out. Read it again: He calls you so that He may forgive you. The adhan five times a day is an invitation, not an accusation.

Religion is mainly about rules and blame.

Allah's call is an invitation to forgiveness.

Try this

Make istighfar once today, picturing it as accepting His invitation.

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

Their Messengers said: "(What!) Can there be a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you that He may forgive you of your sins and give you respite for a term appointed." They said: "You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority. (10)Their Messengers said to them: "We are no more than human beings like you, but Allah bestows His grace to whom He wills of His servants. It is not ours to bring you an authority (proof) except by the permission of Allah. And in Allah (alone) let the believers put their trust. (11)"And why should we not put our trust in Allah while He indeed has guided us in our ways? And we shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us, and in Allah (alone) let those who trust, put their trust. (12)

The Argument between the Prophets and the Disbelievers

Allah narrates to us the arguments that ensued between the disbelievers and their Messengers. When their nations doubted the Message of worshipping Allah alone without partners, the Messengers said,

أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ

((What!) Can there be a doubt about Allah...?)

about His Lordship and having the exclusive right to be worshipped alone, being the only Creator of all creatures Verily, none besides Allah is worthy of worship, alone without partners with Him.

Most nations were, and still are, affirming the existence of the Creator, but they call upon intermediaries besides Him whom they think will benefit them or bring them closer to Allah. Their Messengers said to them,

يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ

(He calls you that He may forgive you of your sins) in the Hereafter,

وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى

(and give you respite for a term appointed.), in this worldly life. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ

(Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding grace to every owner of grace.)[11:3]

However, their nations went on arguing against their prophethood, after they had to submit to the first evidence (that Allah Alone created everything).

Disbelievers reject Prophethood because the Messengers were Humans!

Their nations said,

إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا

(You are no more than human beings like us!) so why should we follow you just because you say so, even though we did not witness a miracle by your hands,

فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ

(Then bring us a clear authority.), a miracle of our choice.

قَالَتْ لَهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ إِن نَّحْنُ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ

(Their Messengers said to them: "We are no more than human beings like you...") affirming that truly, they were only human being like their nations,

وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَمُنُّ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ

(but Allah bestows His grace to whom He wills of His servants.), with prophethood and messengership which is His choice,

وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا أَن نَّأْتِيَكُم بِسُلْطَانٍ

(It is not ours to bring you an authority) according to your choice,

إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ

((except by the permission of Allah.), after we beg Him and He provides us with a miracle,

وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

(And in Allah (alone) let the believers put their trust.) in all their affairs. Their Messengers said to them next,

وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ

(And why should we not put our trust in Allah), after He had guided us to the best, most clear and plain way,

وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَىٰ مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا

(And we shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us), such as foolish actions and abusive statements,

وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

(and in Allah (alone) let those who trust, put their trust.)