And those who disbelieve say of those who believe, "If it had [truly] been good, they would not have preceded us to it." And when they are not guided by it, they will say, "This is an ancient falsehood."
Verse 11 of Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:11), a Meccan surah, is in juz 26, on page 503 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 11 of Surah Al-Ahqaf
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Tafsir of verse 11
Al-Mukhtasar
And those who denied the Qur’ān and what their Messenger brought to them say: “If what Muhammad brought was true and guides towards good, these paupers, servants and weak people would not have preceded us towards it”. And because they are not guided to what their Messenger brought them, they will say: “This which he has brought us is an old lie, and we do not follow lies”.
The disbelievers say about the believers, “If this [faith] were something good, they7 would not have believed in it before us.” Now since they are not guided by it, they will say, “This is an old fabrication.”
Notes
[7] These poor and powerless individuals and slaves who embraced Islam.
And those who disbelieve (the strong and wealthy) say of those who believe (the weak and poor): "Had it (Islâmic Monotheism to which Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is inviting mankind) been a good thing, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us thereto!" And when they have not let themselves be guided by it (this Qur’ân), they say: "This is an ancient lie!"
And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: If it had been (any) good, they would not have been before us in attaining it. And since they will not be guided by it, they say: This is an ancient lie;
The Unbelievers say of those who believe: "If (this Message) were a good thing, (such men) would not have gone to it first, before us!" And seeing that they guide not themselves thereby, they will say, "this is an (old,) falsehood!"
And those who disbelieve say concerning those who believe: If it had been a good, they would not have gone ahead of us therein. And as they do not seek to be rightly directed thereby, they say: It is an old lie.
And the ones who have disbelieved have said to the ones who have believed, "If it had been of any charity, (i.e. benefit) in no way would they have outstripped us to it." (i.e., received it before us) And as they have not been guided by it, then they will soon say, "This is an old falsehood."
And thus We have tried some of them through others that they [i.e., the disbelievers] might say, "Is it these whom Allāh has favored among us?" Is not Allāh most knowing of those who are grateful?
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
And those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Follow our way, and we will carry your sins." But they will not carry anything of their sins. Indeed, they are liars.
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Which of [our] two parties is best in position and best in association?"
And when it is said to them, "Spend from that which Allāh has provided for you," those who disbelieve say to those who believe, "Should we feed one whom, if Allāh had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in clear error."
