Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:11
سُورَةُ الأَحۡقَافِ · Meccan · Verse 11 of 35
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًۭا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَإِذْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ قَدِيمٌۭ
Translation
Those who disbelieve say of the believers, ‘If there were any good in this Quran, they would not have believed in it before we did,’and, since they refuse to be guided by it, they say, ‘This is an ancient fabrication.’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
In Surah 46, verse 11, Allah recounts the words of those who denied the Prophet Muhammad's message, addressing those who believed in him. The verse immediately reveals a deeply rooted arrogance in the disbelievers' mindset.
The Disbelievers' Arrogance
The phrase "وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟" (And those who disbelieved said to those who believed) carries a specific nuance. Ibn Ashur explains that the preposition "لِ" here (meaning "to" or "for") indicates that the disbelievers weren't merely speaking *to* the believers in dialogue, but rather their words were directed *at* them or *because of* them, stemming from their condescending view of these early converts.
The core of their argument is captured in "لَوْ كَانَ خَيْرًۭا مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ" (If it had been good, they would not have preceded us to it). Here, "خيرًا" (good) refers to the message of Islam, the Quran, and the faith itself. The critical word choice is "سَبَقُونَا" (they would not have preceded us). The "they" refers to the early believers, many of whom were from the poorer, less influential, or enslaved members of society, like Bilal or Ammar ibn Yasir, as mentioned by scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi. The disbelievers, considering themselves the elite, believed that if Islam truly contained any good, *they* (the perceived superior ones) would have been the first to embrace it. The very fact that "inferiors" preceded them was, in their deluded view, proof that it couldn't be good. This highlights their profound arrogance and self-importance.
Persistent Denial
The second part of the verse, "وَإِذْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَيَقُولُونَ هَٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ قَدِيمٌۭ" (And since they did not allow themselves to be guided by it, they will say: "This is an ancient lie"), speaks to their continued rejection. The word "إِذْ" (since or when) refers to their past failure to be guided by the Quran. The intriguing part is the shift to the future tense with "فَسَيَقُولُونَ" (they *will* say). As Ibn Ashur elucidates, this isn't about them uttering a *new* accusation in the future, but rather about their *persistence* and *continuation* in holding onto this false belief. They had already been saying such things, and they would continue to do so because their hearts remained unguided. Their disbelief had become so ingrained that it was a constant, ongoing state.
Finally, their declaration "هَٰذَآ إِفْكٌۭ قَدِيمٌۭ" (This is an ancient lie) is their dismissive label for the Quran. "إِفْكٌ" means a great falsehood or fabrication, and "قَدِيمٌ" means ancient or old. They viewed the divine words as mere fables, something concocted long ago, rather than the fresh, transformative truth from Allah. This choice of words underscores their complete rejection and contempt for the sacred message.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:11 is discussed in 2 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-Ahqaf 46:11 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.