Tafsir of Surah Al Mu'minun

فَقَالَٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ٱلَّذِينَكَفَرُوا۟مِنقَوْمِهِۦمَاهَٰذَآإِلَّابَشَرٌمِّثْلُكُمْيُرِيدُأَنيَتَفَضَّلَعَلَيْكُمْوَلَوْشَآءَٱللَّهُلَأَنزَلَمَلَٰٓئِكَةًمَّاسَمِعْنَابِهَٰذَافِىٓءَابَآئِنَاٱلْأَوَّلِينَ ٢٤

Saheeh International

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.

en: Ibn Kathir

Tafseer 'Ibn Kathir' (EN)

فَقَالَ الْمَلَُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ

But the chiefs of his people who disbelieved said:

The chiefs or leaders of his people said:

مَا هَذَا إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُرِيدُ أَن 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 شَاء اللَّهُ لَاَنزَلَ مَلَيِكَةً

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.

مَّا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي ابَايِنَا الاَْوَّلِينَ

Never did we hear such a thing among our fathers of old."

We have never heard of such a thing -- i.e., sending a man to our forefathers' -- their predecessors in times past