Surah Al Ma'idah Tafseer

The Messengers Will be Asked About Their Nations

Allah says;

يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُ اللّهُ الرُّسُلَ فَيَقُولُ مَاذَا أُجِبْتُمْ

قَالُواْ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them:"What was the response you received (from men to your teaching)!" They will say:"We have no knowledge, verily, only You are the Knower of all that is hidden."

Allah states that on the Day of Resurrection, He will ask the Messengers about how their nations, to whom He sent them, answered and responded to their teachings.

Allah said in other Ayat,

فَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الَّذِينَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَنَسْـَلَنَّ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

Then surely, We shall question those (people) to whom it (the Book) was sent and verily, We shall question the Messengers. (7:6)

and,

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينََمَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

So, by your Lord, We shall certainly call all of them to account. For all that they used to do. (15:92-93)

According to Mujahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and As-Suddi, The statement of the Messengers here,

لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا

(We have no knowledge),

is the result of the horror of that Day.

Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ath-Thawri said that Al-A`mash said that Mujahid said about the Ayah,

(On the Day when Allah will gather the Messengers together and say to them:"What was the response you received)!"

They will become afraid and reply,

لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا

(We have no knowledge),

Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded this explanation.

Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah,

"They will say to the Lord, Most Honored, `We have no knowledge beyond what we know, and even that, You have more knowledge of them than us."

This response is out of respect before the Lord, Most Honored, and it means, we have no knowledge compared to Your encompassing knowledge. Therefore, our knowledge only grasped the visible behavior of these people, not the secrets of their hearts. You are the Knower of everything, Who has encompassing knowledge of all things, and our knowledge compared to Your knowledge is similar to not having any knowledge at all, for

أَنتَ عَلَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

(only You are the Knower of all that is hidden)