And We certainly know that they say, "It is only a human being who teaches him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)]." The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign,715 and this [recitation, i.e., Qur’ān] is [in] a clear Arabic language.
Notes
[715] Having seen the Prophet (ﷺ) speaking with a foreign man on occasion, the Quraysh accused him of repeating the man's words.
Verse 103 of Surah An-Nahl (16:103), a Meccan surah, is in juz 14, on page 279 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 103 of Surah An-Nahl
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Tafsir of verse 103
Al-Mukhtasar
I know very well that the idolaters say: It is a human being who is teaching Muhammad (peace be upon him). They are lying in this claim of theirs. The language of the person whom they assume is teaching him is non-Arabic, whereas this Qur’ān has been revealed in the clear and highly eloquent Arabic language. How then do they claim that he received it from a non-Arab?!
We surely know that they say, “It is only a human being who teaches him67.” But the language they refer to is foreign, whereas this is eloquent Arabic language.
Notes
[67] The pagans of Makkah falsely claimed that a non-Arab teaches Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: "It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم)." The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur’ân) is a clear Arabic tongue.
And We know well that they say: Only a man teacheth him. The speech of him at whom they falsely hint is outlandish, and this is clear Arabic speech.
We know indeed that they say, "It is a man that teaches him." The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.
And certainly We know that they say: Only a mortal teaches him. The tongue of him whom they reproach is barbarous, and this is clear Arabic tongue.
And indeed We already know that they say, "Surely only a mortal is teaching him." The tongue (i.e., the language) of him about whom they blaspheme is foreign, and this is an evident Arabic tongue.
