Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anbya Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

In fact, messengers have been mocked at prior to you. So those who laughed at them were besieged by what they used to ridicule.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Other˺ messengers had already been ridiculed before you ˹O Prophet˺, but those who mocked them were overtaken by what they used to ridicule.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Indeed, there were messengers before you who were ridiculed, but those who mocked them were encompassed by what they used to ridicule.

A. J. Arberry

Messengers indeed were mocked at before thee, but those that scoffed at them were encompassed by that they mocked at.

Abdul Haleem

Messengers before you [Muhammad] were also ridiculed, but those who mocked them were overwhelmed in the end by the very thing they had mocked.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly mocked were the apostles before thee, then there surrounded those of them Who scoffed that whereat they had been mocking!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Mocked were (many) messenger before thee; But their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked.

Abul Ala Maududi

Other Messengers before you were also mocked, but those who scoffed at the Messengers were overtaken by the same scourge that they had scoffed at.

Ahmed Ali

Many apostles have been scoffed before you; but they who scoffed were themselves caught by what they had ridiculed.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed the Noble Messengers before you were mocked at, but their mockery ruined the mockers themselves.

Ali Quli Qarai

Apostles were certainly derided before you; but those who ridiculed them were besieged by what they had been deriding.

Ali Ünal

Indeed, Messengers were mocked before you (O Muhammad), but the very thing, because of which the people used to mock them, overwhelmed those who scoffed at the Messengers (to humiliate them).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And certainly Messengers have (also) been treated as mere trifles even before you with the result that those who made light of them (- the Messengers) were caught by the very thing they held as vain and unimportant.

English Literal

And had been mocked/made fun of with messengers from before you, so surrounded with those who mocked from them, what they were with it mocking (so those who mocked were surrounded by their deeds).

Faridul Haque

And indeed the Noble Messengers before you were mocked at, but their mockery ruined the mockers themselves.

Hamid S. Aziz

Nay, it shall come on them unawares, and shall dumbfound them, and they shall not be able to repel it, nor shall they be reprieved.

Hilali & Khan

Indeed (many) Messengers were mocked before you (O Muhammad SAW), but the scoffers were surrounded by that, whereat they used to mock.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Nay, it will come to them all of a sudden and confound them, so they will not have the power to avert it, nor will they be respited.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly apostles before you were scoffed at, then there befell those of them who scoffed that at which they had scoffed.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Messengers before thee, indeed, were mocked, but that whereat they mocked surrounded those who scoffed at them.

Muhammad Sarwar

They mocked the Messengers who were sent before you; thus, the torment which they had ridiculed encompassed them all.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Before you, other Messengers were mocked, but the mockers were encompassed by the very thing they mocked.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Indeed (many) Messengers were mocked before you, but the scoffers were surrounded by what they used to mock.

Wahiduddin Khan

Other messengers have been mocked before you, but those who scoffed were overwhelmed by the very thing they had mocked.

Talal Itani

Messengers before you were also ridiculed, but those who jeered were surrounded by what they had ridiculed.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily messengers before you were derided -- herein is a statement to comfort the Prophet (s) -- but those who mocked them were encircled by, it was sent down [against them], that which they used to deride, namely, chastisement -- likewise it shall befall those who have derided you.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Lessons to be learned from Those Who mocked the Messengers in the Past

Allah says consoling His Messenger for the pain and insult caused by the mockery and disbelief of the idolators,

وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِيَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِوُون



Indeed (many) Messengers were mocked before you, but the scoffers were surrounded by what they used to mock.

meaning, the punishment which they thought would never come to pass.

This is like the Ayah;

وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَـهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـتِ اللَّهِ وَلَقدْ جَأءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

Verily, Messengers were denied before you, but with patience they bore the denial, and they were hurt; till Our help reached them, and none can alter the Words of Allah. Surely, there has reached you the information (news) about the Messengers (before you). (6;34)
Then Allah mentions His favor for His creatures; He protects them by night and by day, taking care of them and watching over them with His Eye that never sleeps.