Surah 11

Surah 11:14

"If they do not respond to you, know that it has been sent down with the knowledge of God, and that (there is) no god but Him. So (will) you submit?"
The Messenger grieving by the Statements of the Polytheists, and His Gratification Verses 11:12-14
Show Full Scripture Context (11:12-14) — 3 Verses
Verse 12

فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكُۢ بَعۡضَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ وَضَآئِقُۢ بِهِۦ صَدۡرُكَ أَن يَقُولُواْ لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ كَنزٌ أَوۡ جَآءَ مَعَهُۥ مَلَكٌۚ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٞۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَكِيلٌ

Perhaps you are leaving out part of what you are inspired (with), and your heart is weighed down by it, because they say, ‘If only a treasure were sent down on him or an angel came with him.’ You are only a warner. God is guardian over everything.

Verse 13

أَمۡ يَقُولُونَ ٱفۡتَرَىٰهُۖ قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِعَشۡرِ سُوَرٖ مِّثۡلِهِۦ مُفۡتَرَيَٰتٖ وَٱدۡعُواْ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

Or do they say, ‘He has forged it’? Say: ‘Then bring ten sūras forged like it, and call on whomever you can, other than God, if you are truthful.’

Verse 14

فَإِلَّمۡ يَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ بِعِلۡمِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ فَهَلۡ أَنتُم مُّسۡلِمُونَ

If they do not respond to you, know that it has been sent down with the knowledge of God, and that (there is) no god but Him. So (will) you submit?

This statement of Allah, the Exalted, to His Messenger comforted the worries that the polytheists were causing him due to their statements directed towards him. This is just as Allah says about them.

{And they say: "Why does this Messenger eat food, and walk about in the markets. Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him?" Or; "(why) has not a treasure been granted to him, or why has he not a garden whereof he may eat?" And the wrongdoers say: "You follow none but a man bewitched."} 25:7-8

Thus, Allah commanded His Messenger and guided him to not let these statements of theirs grieve his heart. Allah directed him to not let these statements prevent him, or deter him from calling them to Allah, both day and night. This is as Allah said,

{Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what they say.} 15:97

Allah says in this verse,

Quoted Scripture
"So perchance you may give up a part of what is revealed unto you, and that your breast feels straitened for it because they say..."

The meaning here is that he (the Prophet) may be compelled to give up the Message due to what they (the polytheists) say about him. However, Allah goes on to explain: "You (Muhammad) are only a warner and you have an example in your brothers of the Messengers who came before you. For verily, the previous Messengers were rejected and harmed, yet they were patient until the help of Allah came to them."

An Explanation concerning the Miracle of the Qur'an

Then Allah, the Exalted, explains the miracle of the Qur'an, and that no one is able to produce its like, or even bring ten chapters, or one chapter like it. The reason for this is that the Speech of the Lord of all that exists is not like the speech of the created beings, just as His attributes are not like the attributes of the creation. Nothing resembles His existence. Exalted is He, the Most Holy, and the Sublime. There is no deity worthy of worship except He and there is no true Lord other than He.

Then Allah goes on to say,

Quoted Scripture
"If then they answer you not,"

Meaning, that if they do not come with a reply to that which you have challenged them with (to the reproduction of ten chapters like the Qur'an), then know that it is due to their inability to do so. Know (that this is a proof) that this is the speech revealed from Allah. It contains His knowledge, His commands and His prohibitions.

Then Allah continues by saying,

Quoted Scripture
"and that there is no God besides Him! Will you then be Muslims?"
About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.