'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful'

Tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya

This surah is Makki by consensus. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud used to say: "Al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha, and Al-Anbiya are from the first old ones, and they are from my ancient knowledge," meaning: from the early things I have acquired and memorized from the Qur'an like inherited wealth.

His saying, exalted is He:

﴿The time of reckoning for mankind has drawn near, while they are in heedlessness, turning away﴾ ﴿No new reminder comes to them from their Lord, except that they listen to it while they are playing﴾

It is narrated that "a man from the companions of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was building a wall. Another passed by him on the day this surah was revealed, and the one building the wall said: What has been revealed today from the Qur'an? The other replied: Today has been revealed ﴿The time of reckoning for mankind has drawn near, while they are in heedlessness, turning away﴾. So he shook his hands from the construction and said: By Allah, it will never be built while the reckoning has drawn near."

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿The time of reckoning for them﴾ is general for all people, even if the reference at that time was to the disbelievers of Quraysh. This is indicated by what follows in the verses. And His saying: ﴿While they are in heedlessness, turning away﴾ refers to the disbelievers.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And it applies from this verse to the sinners among the believers as well.

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿No new reminder comes to them﴾ and what follows is specific to the disbelievers. And His saying: ﴿From a reminder from their Lord﴾, one group said: what is meant is what descends from the Qur'an. And His saying: "new" means its descending and coming to them, not in itself. Another group said: what is meant by the reminder are the words of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, regarding the matters of the Shari'ah, and his admonitions and reminders, so it is truly new, and making it "from their Lord" in that the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, does not speak from desire, nor does he say except what is from Allah. Another group said: "the reminder" is the Messenger himself, and they cited His saying, blessed and exalted is He: ﴿Indeed, Allah has sent down to you a reminder﴾ [At-Talaq: 10] ﴿A Messenger reciting to you the verses of Allah, clear﴾ [At-Talaq: 11], so it is truly new, and the meaning of "they listened to it" is: they listened to him. And His saying: ﴿While they are playing﴾ is a phrase indicating the state, meaning: their listening is in a state of play, so it is neither beneficial nor reaches the soul.