Surah Al-Muminoon · سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ · Juz 18

Q 23:24

فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَنزَلَ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً مَّا سَمِعْنَا بِهَـٰذَا فِىٓ ءَابَآئِنَا ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Translations

But the eminent among those who disbelieved from his people said, "This is not but a man like yourselves who wishes to take precedence over you; and if Allah had willed [to send a messenger], He would have sent down angels. We have not heard of this among our forefathers.

Sahih International · EN

Alors les notables de son peuple qui avaient mécru dirent: «Celui-ci n'est qu'un être humain comme vous voulant se distinguer à votre détriment. Si Allah avait voulu, ce sont des Anges qu'Il aurait fait descendre. Jamais nous n'avons entendu cela chez nos ancêtres les plus reculés.

Muhammad Hamidullah · FR

Tafsir

So the noblemen and leaders from his people who disbelieved in Allah said to their followers and the masses, “This man that claims to be a messenger is only a human like yourselves; he only desires leadership and rule over you. If Allah wished to send a messenger to you He would have done so by sending one from the angels, not from the humans. We have not heard anything like what he is claiming from our predecessors!”

Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies

Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))

And indeed We sent Nuh to his people, and he said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him. Will you not then have Taqwa? (23)But the chiefs of his people who disbelieved said: "He is no more than a human being like you, he seeks to make himself superior to you. Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels. Never did we hear such a thing among our fathers of old. (24)"He is only a man in whom is madness, so wait for him a while. (25) The Story of Nuh, Peace Be upon Him, and His People Allah tells us about Nuh, peace be upon him, whom He sent him to his people to warn them of the severe punishment of Allah and His severe vengeance on those who associated partners with Him, defied His commands and disbelieved His Messengers: فَقَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ أَفَلَا تَتَّقُونَ (and he said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other God but Him. Will you not then have Taqwa?") Meaning, "Do you not fear Allah when you associate others in worship with Him?" The chiefs or leaders of his people said: مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ (He is no more than a human being like you, he seeks to make himself superior to you.) meaning, 'he is putting himself above you and trying to make himself great by claiming to be a Prophet, but he is a human being like you, so how can he receive revelation when you do not?' وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَأَنْزَلَ مَلَائِكَةً (Had Allah willed, He surely could have sent down angels.) meaning, 'if Allah had wanted to send a Prophet, He would have sent an angel from Him, not a human being. We have never heard of such a thing – i.e., sending a man to our forefathers' – their predecessors in times past. إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ بِهِ جِنَّةٌ (He is only a man in whom is madness,) means, 'he is crazy in his claim that Allah has sent him and chosen him from among you to receive revelation.' فَتَرَبَّصُوا بِهِ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ (so wait for him a while.) means, 'wait until he dies, put up with him until you are rid of him.'

Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net