Surah Al-Isra 17:89
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ · Meccan · Verse 89 of 111
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍۢ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًۭا
Translation
In this Quran, We have set out all kinds of examples for people, yet most of them persist in disbelieving.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Qur'anic Worlds
This verse opens a window into the "World of Revelation," specifically during the Makkan period of the Prophet Muhammad's mission. Allah, the Speaker, addresses humanity, yet points to the specific context of the Meccan disbelievers. It reveals the divine strategy of revelation and the stubborn human response it often met.
The Quran's Clarity
Allah states, "وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍۢ" (And surely We have explained for the people in this Quran every kind of example). The phrase "من كل مثل" means Allah has clarified the truth from every conceivable angle. As Imam al-Tabari explains, this includes arguments, reminders, and pointers to the truth, all designed to be followed. Mufti Shafi notes that the Quran itself stands as a clear miracle, leaving no room for doubt.
This clarification wasn't just one method. Scholars like al-Razi highlight several ways Allah presented these "examples":
1. Linguistic Challenges: The Quran challenged its first audience, the eloquent Arabs, to produce anything like it, even a single chapter, exposing their inability and the Quran's miraculous nature.
2. Stories of Past Nations: It recounted the histories of previous peoples, like Noah, Aad, and Thamud, detailing how they faced consequences for their persistent disbelief. These narratives served as powerful warnings and lessons for the Meccans.
3. Proofs for Tawhid: The Quran presented countless arguments for the Oneness of Allah, refuting polytheism and answering doubts about prophethood and the Afterlife.
The Human Response
Despite this comprehensive and multifaceted presentation, the verse continues, "فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكْثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًۭا" (but most people persisted in nothing but denial). This describes the overwhelming rejection of the truth. Imam al-Baghawi defines "كفورا" as "juhudan," meaning a persistent denial. Sayyid Qutb links this to the specific demands of the Meccan disbelievers, who, instead of appreciating the profound miracle of the Quran itself, insisted on seeing physical, material miracles from the Prophet Muhammad. Their "childish demands," as Qutb describes, such as asking for springs to gush from the earth or for Allah and angels to appear before them, illustrate their stubborn refusal to accept the spiritual and intellectual miracle that was already before them.
This verse therefore highlights a profound dynamic in the World of Revelation: Allah's boundless effort to guide humanity through diverse and compelling evidence in His Book, met by the human tendency to deny, often due to obstinacy or a preference for material over spiritual signs.
Source: Ma'arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi), al-Baghawi (Maalim al-Tanzil), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran), al-Tabari (Jami al-Bayan), Ibn Kathir
Sources: Ma'arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi), al-Baghawi (Maalim al-Tanzil), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran), al-Tabari (Jami al-Bayan), Ibn Kathir
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Isra 17:89 is discussed in 4 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Isra 17:89 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.