Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 103

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We know well that they say, “There is a man who teaches him.” The language of the one they refer to is non-Arabic while this is clear Arabic language.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And We surely know that they say, “No one is teaching him except a human.” But the man they refer to speaks a foreign tongue, whereas this ˹Quran˺ is ˹in˺ eloquent Arabic.[[ Some Meccan pagans claimed that the Prophet (ﷺ) received the Quran from a non-Arab slave owned by an Arab pagan. ]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

We surely know that they say, “It is only a human being who teaches him.” But the language they refer to is foreign, whereas this is eloquent Arabic language.

A. J. Arberry

And We know very well that they say, 'Only a mortal is teaching him.' The speech of him at whom they hint is barbarous; and this is speech Arabic, manifest.

Abdul Haleem

We know very well that they say, ‘It is a man who teaches him,’ but the language of the person they allude to is foreign, while this revelation is in clear Arabic.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly We know that they say: it is only a human being who teachech him. The speech of him unto whom they incline is foreign while this is Arabic speech plain.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We know indeed that they say, "It is a man that teaches him." The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.

Abul Ala Maududi

Surely We know well that they say about you: "It is only a human being who teaches him," (notwithstanding) that he whom they maliciously hint at is of foreign tongue, while this (Qur'an) is plain Arabic speech.

Ahmed Ali

Yet We know what they say: "It is only a man who instructs him." The speech of the man they imply is obscure while this is clear Arabic.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed We know that they say, “This Qur’an is being taught by some other man”; the one they refer to speaks a foreign language, whereas this is clear Arabic!

Ali Quli Qarai

We certainly know that they say, ‘It is only a human that instructs him.’ The language of him to whom they refer is non-Arabic, while this is a clear Arabic language.

Ali Ünal

Certainly We know that they say, "It is but a human being that teaches him." But the tongue of him to whom they falsely hint is outlandish, while this (Qur’an) is in clear Arabic tongue.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And We know fully well what they say (by way of objection) that this (Qur´ân) is (not revealed by God but it is) only what a human being instructs to him (- to Muhammad). But (strange it is) that the tongue of him to whom they (unjustly) allude (of making this insinuation) is foreign and wanting in clearness, whereas the language of this (Qur´ân) is chaste Arabic, plain and clear.

English Literal

And We have known that they say: "But/indeed a human teaches/instructs him, (the) tongue/language/speech (of) those who deviate, insult and defame to Him, non-Arabic/Persian (tongue/language/speech), and this (is) an Arabic clear/evident tongue/language/speech.

Faridul Haque

And indeed We know that they say, "This Qur’an is being taught by some other man"; the one they refer to speaks a foreign language, whereas this is clear Arabic!

Hamid S. Aziz

We know well that they say, "It is only some mortal who teaches him." But the tongue of him they point to (Muhammad) is outlandish, while this (Quran) is Arabic, pure and clear.

Hilali & Khan

And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: "It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad SAW)." The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Quran) is a clear Arabic tongue.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Say: The Holy Spirit has revealed it from thy Lord with truth, that it may establish those who believe, and as a guidance and good news for those who submit.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly We know that they say: Only a mortal teaches him. The tongue of him whom they reproach is barbarous, and this is clear Arabic tongue.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We know well that they say: Only a man teacheth him. The speech of him at whom they falsely hint is outlandish, and this is clear Arabic speech.

Muhammad Sarwar

We know that they say a mere mortal has taught it (the Quran) to him (Muhammad). The language of the person whom they think has taught it to him is not Arabic. This (the Quran) is in illustrious Arabic.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We know very well that they say: 'A mortal teaches him' The tongue of him at whom they hint is a nonArab; and this is a clear Arabic tongue.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: "It is only a human being who teaches him." The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur'an) is (in) a clear Arabic tongue.

Wahiduddin Khan

Indeed, We know what they say, "It is only a human being who imparts [all] this to him!" But the tongue of him to whom they point is foreign, whereas this is plain Arabic speech.

Talal Itani

We are well aware that they say, “It is a human being who is teaching him.” But the tongue of him they allude to is foreign, while this is a clear Arabic tongue.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily (wa-laqad is for confirmation) We know that they say, `It is only a human that is teaching him, the Qur'n' -- this was a Christian blacksmith whom the Prophet (s) used to frequent. God, exalted be He, says; The tongue, the language, of him to whom they refer, to whom they incline, [with the accusation] that he is [the one] teaching him, is foreign'; while this, Qur'n, is [in] a clear Arabic tongue, one of lucidity and clarity; so how can a foreigner be teaching him?

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Idolators' Claim that the Qur'an was taught by a Human, and the Refutation of their Claim

Allah says;

وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ

And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say;"It is only a human being who teaches him."

Allah tells about the idolators' lies, allegations, and slander when they claimed that this Qur'an which Muhammad had recited for them, was actually taught to him by a human.

They referred to a foreign (i.e., non-Arab) man who lived among them as the servant of some of the clans of Quraysh and who used to sell goods by As-Safa. Maybe the Messenger of Allah used to sit with him sometimes and talk to him a little, but he was a foreigner who did not know much Arabic, only enough simple phrases to answer questions when he had to.

So in refutation of their claims of fabrication, Allah said;

لِّسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَـذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ



The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur'an) is a (in) clear Arabic tongue.

meaning, how could it be that this Qur'an with its eloquent style and perfect meanings, which is more perfect than any Book revealed to any previously sent Prophet, have been learnt from a foreigner who hardly speaks the language! No one with the slightest amount of common sense would say such a thing