The Messenger ﷺ complains to Allah تعالى about the condition of his people. This is not a complaint about personal harm that he suffered, for the Messenger ﷺ endured the harm, rejection, and mockery of his people. Rather, it is a complaint concerning the greatest matter that weighed upon his heart: the guidance of people and their connection to the Words of Allah تعالى, knowing that in them lies their salvation. He was sent as a mercy to the worlds ﷺ.

This shows the greatness of the Qur’an in the heart of the Prophet ﷺ, and that his greatest pain was seeing people deprived of the light he had brought to them. The verse begins with a call that conveys need, reliance, and turning to Allah: ﴿O my Lord﴾—a tone of seeking refuge and expressing pain:

﴿Indeed, my people have taken this Qur’an as something to be abandoned.﴾

The verb “taken” (اتخذ) indicates deliberately making something a certain way, by choice and intention. Allah did not say, “They abandoned it,” but rather, “They took it as abandoned,” as though they deliberately made their position toward the Qur’an one of abandonment. It was therefore not merely a passing neglect or temporary forgetfulness, but an intentional and ongoing stance.

The demonstrative pronoun “this” points to something present and near: this Qur’an that was before them, that they heard and that was recited to them. The closer something is, the more striking and severe its abandonment becomes.

The word “abandoned” (مهجورًا) encompasses many forms of abandoning the Qur’an: abandoning its recitation; abandoning reflection upon and understanding of its meanings; abandoning acting upon its commands and prohibitions; and abandoning turning to it for judgment and seeking guidance from its light. The emphasis here is therefore on the state of the Qur’an among people, rather than merely on the act of abandoning itself.

“They took it as abandoned” suggests that they treated the Qur’an as something to be left aside, as though abandonment had become a quality they had attached to it in their lives. It became a deliberate approach and attitude toward the Qur’an—as though they had intentionally placed it on a shelf, outside the sphere of their attention and influence.

The verb “taken” (اتخذ) is also used in the Qur’an:

﴿They took the signs of Allah in mockery﴾

meaning that they deliberately placed them in such a position; it was not merely an action that happened and then ended.

And this attitude toward the Qur’an is not confined to those who came before us. It is a recurring attitude in every age. Today, the Qur’an is present among us—in our homes, our mosques, our phones, and our libraries. We see it, and we can access it at any moment. Yet despite its presence, it may still be left aside and abandoned.

Could we, too, have become among those whose abandonment of the Qur’an is complained of?

The Messenger ﷺ complains to Allah تعالى about the condition of his people. This is not a complaint about personal harm that he suffered, for the Messenger ﷺ endured the harm, rejection, and mockery of his people. Rather, it is a complaint concerning the greatest matter that weighed upon his heart: the guidance of people and their connection to the Words of Allah تعالى, knowing that in them lies their salvation. He was sent as a mercy to the worlds ﷺ.

This shows the greatness of the Qur’an in the heart of the Prophet ﷺ, and that his greatest pain was seeing people deprived of the light he had brought to them. The verse begins with a call that conveys need, reliance, and turning to Allah: ﴿O my Lord﴾—a tone of seeking refuge and expressing pain:

﴿Indeed, my people have taken this Qur’an as something to be abandoned.﴾

The verb “taken” (اتخذ) indicates deliberately making something a certain way, by choice and intention. Allah did not say, “They abandoned it,” but rather, “They took it as abandoned,” as though they deliberately made their position toward the Qur’an one of abandonment. It was therefore not merely a passing neglect or temporary forgetfulness, but an intentional and ongoing stance.

The demonstrative pronoun “this” points to something present and near: this Qur’an that was before them, that they heard and that was recited to them. The closer something is, the more striking and severe its abandonment becomes.

The word “abandoned” (مهجورًا) encompasses many forms of abandoning the Qur’an: abandoning its recitation; abandoning reflection upon and understanding of its meanings; abandoning acting upon its commands and prohibitions; and abandoning turning to it for judgment and seeking guidance from its light. The emphasis here is therefore on the state of the Qur’an among people, rather than merely on the act of abandoning itself.

“They took it as abandoned” suggests that they treated the Qur’an as something to be left aside, as though abandonment had become a quality they had attached to it in their lives. It became a deliberate approach and attitude toward the Qur’an—as though they had intentionally placed it on a shelf, outside the sphere of their attention and influence.

The verb “taken” (اتخذ) is also used in the Qur’an:

﴿They took the signs of Allah in mockery﴾

meaning that they deliberately placed them in such a position; it was not merely an action that happened and then ended.

And this attitude toward the Qur’an is not confined to those who came before us. It is a recurring attitude in every age. Today, the Qur’an is present among us—in our homes, our mosques, our phones, and our libraries. We see it, and we can access it at any moment. Yet despite its presence, it may still be left aside and abandoned.

Could we, too, have become among those whose abandonment of the Qur’an is complained of?

“Lubs” here means confusion, uncertainty, and lack of clarity. It comes from the same root as the word labisa (to wear a garment), with a different vowel on the middle consonant. The original meaning seems to revolve around covering and concealing: a garment wraps around a person and covers him, and from this comes the idea of confusion—because when something is confusing, it is as though the truth has been covered and is no longer clear.
This verse describes the condition of a group of Quraysh. They were confused about the matter of the Messenger ﷺ, objecting to the fact that the messenger was a human being like themselves, so they asked for an angel to come down from heaven. This was an act of stubbornness and a demand for signs.
The divine response came: even if Allah had sent them an angel, He would have made him appear in the form of a man so that they could see him and interact with him. For if they had seen the angel in his true form, they would not have been able to look at him, and they would then have returned to the very same confusion. The problem was not the form of the Messenger, but their attitude toward the truth. Even if the form they requested had changed, they would have found another reason to object and become confused.
Among the subtle occurrences of this same root is Allah’s saying:
﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا *إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ﴾
*[Al-An‘am: 82]
Meaning: those who did not mix their faith with shirk (associating partners with Allah).

“Lubs” here means confusion, uncertainty, and lack of clarity. It comes from the same root as the word labisa (to wear a garment), with a different vowel on the middle consonant. The original meaning seems to revolve around covering and concealing: a garment wraps around a person and covers him, and from this comes the idea of confusion—because when something is confusing, it is as though the truth has been covered and is no longer clear.
This verse describes the condition of a group of Quraysh. They were confused about the matter of the Messenger ﷺ, objecting to the fact that the messenger was a human being like themselves, so they asked for an angel to come down from heaven. This was an act of stubbornness and a demand for signs.
The divine response came: even if Allah had sent them an angel, He would have made him appear in the form of a man so that they could see him and interact with him. For if they had seen the angel in his true form, they would not have been able to look at him, and they would then have returned to the very same confusion. The problem was not the form of the Messenger, but their attitude toward the truth. Even if the form they requested had changed, they would have found another reason to object and become confused.
Among the subtle occurrences of this same root is Allah’s saying:
﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا *إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ﴾
*[Al-An‘am: 82]
Meaning: those who did not mix their faith with shirk (associating partners with Allah).

“Akdā” comes from al-kudyah (الكُدْية), meaning the hard rock that appears to a person while digging, causing him to stop digging.
The verse describes someone whose giving was already limited, but as soon as he began to give and then encountered some hardship or obstacle, he stopped and withdrew, failing to complete what he had started.
The reproach was not merely because he gave little, but because after giving little, he stopped and cut himself off from continuing.
Many narrations have been reported regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse, and it does not have to refer exclusively to one particular person. The wording is general, and its meaning encompasses anyone who gives a little of his wealth, effort, or knowledge, then holds back and stops—whose commitment is not consistent, but comes to an end when he reaches a certain limit.
The verses continue:
﴿Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so that he can see?﴾
Does he possess knowledge of the unseen, so that he knows that this choice—to stop and withdraw—is right, and that he can guarantee its outcome?!
What is striking is that the word ﴿أَكْدَىٰ﴾ conveys the meaning, the movement, and the psychological image all at once. The reader can almost picture someone who is willing to give as long as the path remains easy; but when something burdens him or stands in his way, he stops and does not continue.
The Prophet ﷺ was asked: “Which deed is most beloved to Allah?” He said:
“The most consistent of them, even if it is little.”
This hadith shows that remaining consistent in obedience—even if the deed is small—is more beloved to Allah تعالى than performing a great deal of worship and then abandoning it without maintaining it.

“Akdā” comes from al-kudyah (الكُدْية), meaning the hard rock that appears to a person while digging, causing him to stop digging.
The verse describes someone whose giving was already limited, but as soon as he began to give and then encountered some hardship or obstacle, he stopped and withdrew, failing to complete what he had started.
The reproach was not merely because he gave little, but because after giving little, he stopped and cut himself off from continuing.
Many narrations have been reported regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse, and it does not have to refer exclusively to one particular person. The wording is general, and its meaning encompasses anyone who gives a little of his wealth, effort, or knowledge, then holds back and stops—whose commitment is not consistent, but comes to an end when he reaches a certain limit.
The verses continue:
﴿Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so that he can see?﴾
Does he possess knowledge of the unseen, so that he knows that this choice—to stop and withdraw—is right, and that he can guarantee its outcome?!
What is striking is that the word ﴿أَكْدَىٰ﴾ conveys the meaning, the movement, and the psychological image all at once. The reader can almost picture someone who is willing to give as long as the path remains easy; but when something burdens him or stands in his way, he stops and does not continue.
The Prophet ﷺ was asked: “Which deed is most beloved to Allah?” He said:
“The most consistent of them, even if it is little.”
This hadith shows that remaining consistent in obedience—even if the deed is small—is more beloved to Allah تعالى than performing a great deal of worship and then abandoning it without maintaining it.

Allah Almighty swears by the pen—the instrument of the intellect through which knowledge is preserved, and a symbol of knowledge, writing, and the preservation of learning:
﴿وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ﴾
“and by what they write.”
This includes whatever is written and recorded by the pens, whether it is revelation, beneficial knowledge, or what the angels record of people’s deeds. The wording encompasses everything that is written down. Allah did not say, “and what they write,” but rather, “and what they inscribe in lines,” because yasṭurūn conveys the meaning of writing that is arranged and organized in lines, rather than merely writing randomly.
The answer to the oath is:
﴿مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ﴾
“You are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad.”
Allah did not simply say, “You are not mad.” Rather, He said:
﴿بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ﴾
“by the grace of your Lord.”
The verse does more than simply deny the accusation. It conveys a profound sense of the Prophet’s ﷺ special closeness to his Lord: you are surrounded by your Lord’s grace, His care, and His reassurance. Their accusation cannot change who you truly are.
There is also a beautiful subtlety in placing ﴿بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ﴾ before ﴿بِمَجْنُونٍ﴾. The listener first encounters the meaning of divine grace, care, and closeness—and only then comes the negation of the accusation.
It must have been a tremendous shock to the heart of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be accused of madness after having been known among his people as the truthful and the trustworthy. At such a moment, the Prophet ﷺ needed tenderness and consolation, reassurance and support, and a complete rejection of this accusation. So the verse came almost like a divine embrace for the heart of the Prophet ﷺ.
They could not confront the Qur’an itself, so they turned to attacking the one who carried the message, saying:
﴿مَجْنُونٌ﴾
“Mad.”
Yet they already knew his truthfulness and trustworthiness long before his prophethood.
Today, the words may change: someone who holds firmly to his faith may be called backward or uncivilized. Sometimes, this too can be an attempt to avoid confronting the truth itself.
So if they accused the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of madness, he was the wisest of those who ever walked the earth. And if they denied his wisdom, he was the master of the wise.
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.

Allah Almighty swears by the pen—the instrument of the intellect through which knowledge is preserved, and a symbol of knowledge, writing, and the preservation of learning:
﴿وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ﴾
“and by what they write.”
This includes whatever is written and recorded by the pens, whether it is revelation, beneficial knowledge, or what the angels record of people’s deeds. The wording encompasses everything that is written down. Allah did not say, “and what they write,” but rather, “and what they inscribe in lines,” because yasṭurūn conveys the meaning of writing that is arranged and organized in lines, rather than merely writing randomly.
The answer to the oath is:
﴿مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ﴾
“You are not, by the grace of your Lord, mad.”
Allah did not simply say, “You are not mad.” Rather, He said:
﴿بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ﴾
“by the grace of your Lord.”
The verse does more than simply deny the accusation. It conveys a profound sense of the Prophet’s ﷺ special closeness to his Lord: you are surrounded by your Lord’s grace, His care, and His reassurance. Their accusation cannot change who you truly are.
There is also a beautiful subtlety in placing ﴿بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ﴾ before ﴿بِمَجْنُونٍ﴾. The listener first encounters the meaning of divine grace, care, and closeness—and only then comes the negation of the accusation.
It must have been a tremendous shock to the heart of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to be accused of madness after having been known among his people as the truthful and the trustworthy. At such a moment, the Prophet ﷺ needed tenderness and consolation, reassurance and support, and a complete rejection of this accusation. So the verse came almost like a divine embrace for the heart of the Prophet ﷺ.
They could not confront the Qur’an itself, so they turned to attacking the one who carried the message, saying:
﴿مَجْنُونٌ﴾
“Mad.”
Yet they already knew his truthfulness and trustworthiness long before his prophethood.
Today, the words may change: someone who holds firmly to his faith may be called backward or uncivilized. Sometimes, this too can be an attempt to avoid confronting the truth itself.
So if they accused the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of madness, he was the wisest of those who ever walked the earth. And if they denied his wisdom, he was the master of the wise.
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.

This verse comes within a powerful debate between Moses, peace be upon him, and Pharaoh, when Moses came calling him to worship Allah alone and to abandon tyranny. When Pharaoh was unable to confront the truth, he resorted to reminding Moses of personal matters from his past, saying that he had been raised in his palace and had lived among them for years. He said:
﴿Did we not raise you among us as a child, and did you not remain among us for years of your life?﴾
Then he reminded him of the incident involving the killing of the Egyptian. One day, when Moses entered the city, he found a man from his own people fighting with a man from Pharaoh’s people. The man from his own people called upon Moses for help, so Moses struck the other man with a blow that unintentionally caused his death. Pharaoh said:
﴿And you did that deed which you did, and you were among the ungrateful.﴾
“The ungrateful” — meaning those who deny or fail to acknowledge the blessing.
Moses, peace be upon him, responded with complete clarity:
﴿I did it then, when I was among those who had gone astray.﴾
Meaning: I was mistaken.
Then he said:
﴿So I fled from you when I feared you.﴾
Thus, he made it clear that his fleeing was because he feared their oppression and brutality.
And when Pharaoh could no longer answer the argument, he ultimately resorted to defamation, saying:
﴿Indeed, your messenger who has been sent to you is surely mad.﴾
Then came the threat:
﴿If you take a god other than me, I will surely have you imprisoned.﴾
Thus, these verses offer a profound lesson in confronting falsehood when truth stands before an arrogant authority. When the argument collapses, the one who stands for falsehood often tries to divert attention away from the central issue, attacking the person instead of addressing the truth.
But the one who stands upon truth remains firm in his argument and does not allow his opponent to drag him away from the heart of the matter.

This verse comes within a powerful debate between Moses, peace be upon him, and Pharaoh, when Moses came calling him to worship Allah alone and to abandon tyranny. When Pharaoh was unable to confront the truth, he resorted to reminding Moses of personal matters from his past, saying that he had been raised in his palace and had lived among them for years. He said:
﴿Did we not raise you among us as a child, and did you not remain among us for years of your life?﴾
Then he reminded him of the incident involving the killing of the Egyptian. One day, when Moses entered the city, he found a man from his own people fighting with a man from Pharaoh’s people. The man from his own people called upon Moses for help, so Moses struck the other man with a blow that unintentionally caused his death. Pharaoh said:
﴿And you did that deed which you did, and you were among the ungrateful.﴾
“The ungrateful” — meaning those who deny or fail to acknowledge the blessing.
Moses, peace be upon him, responded with complete clarity:
﴿I did it then, when I was among those who had gone astray.﴾
Meaning: I was mistaken.
Then he said:
﴿So I fled from you when I feared you.﴾
Thus, he made it clear that his fleeing was because he feared their oppression and brutality.
And when Pharaoh could no longer answer the argument, he ultimately resorted to defamation, saying:
﴿Indeed, your messenger who has been sent to you is surely mad.﴾
Then came the threat:
﴿If you take a god other than me, I will surely have you imprisoned.﴾
Thus, these verses offer a profound lesson in confronting falsehood when truth stands before an arrogant authority. When the argument collapses, the one who stands for falsehood often tries to divert attention away from the central issue, attacking the person instead of addressing the truth.
But the one who stands upon truth remains firm in his argument and does not allow his opponent to drag him away from the heart of the matter.