And if We had made it a foreign [i.e., non-Arabic] Qur’ān, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.1398
Notes
[1398] For all practical purposes, since they neither hear nor understand.
Verse 44 of Surah Fussilat (41:44), a Meccan surah, is in juz 24, on page 481 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 44 of Surah Fussilat
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Tafsir of verse 44
Al-Mukhtasar
Had I revealed this Qur’ān in a language other than that of the Arabs, the disbelievers among them would have said, “Why are its verses not made clear to us so that we can understand them?” Can the Qur’ān be in any language other than Arabic, while the one who brings it is an Arab? O Messenger! Say to these people: For those people who bring faith in Allah and believe in His messengers, the Qur’ān is a guidance from deviance and a cure for the ignorance and its consequences in the hearts. As for those who do not have faith in Allah, their ears are deaf and they are blinded from it so they do not understand it. These people are called from a distant place, so how could they hear the voice of the caller?
If We had made it a non-Arabic Qur’an, they would have said, “If only its verses were made clear? What! A non-Arabic [book] and an Arab [messenger]?” Say, “It is a guidance and healing for those who believe. As for those who do not believe, there is deafness in their ears and they are blind to [understand] it – it is as if they are being called from a far-off place19.”
Notes
[19] So they neither hear the call nor understand it.
And if We had sent this as a Qur’ân in a foreign language (other than Arabic), they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail (in our language)? What! (A Book) not in Arabic and (the Messenger) an Arab?" Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it (the Qur’ân) is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away (so they neither listen nor understand)."
And if We had appointed it a Lecture in a foreign tongue they would assuredly have said: If only its verses were expounded (so that we might understand)? What! A foreign tongue and an Arab? - Say unto them (O Muhammad): For those who believe it is a guidance and a healing; and as for those who disbelieve, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness for them. Such are called to from afar.
Had We sent this as a Qur'an (in the language) other than Arabic, they would have said: "Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! (a Book) not in Arabic and (a Messenger an Arab?" Say: "It is a Guide and a Healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not, there is a deafness in their ears, and it is blindness in their (eyes): They are (as it were) being called from a place far distant!"
And if We had made it a Quran in a foreign tongue, they would certainly have said: Why have not its communications been made clear? What! a foreign (tongue) and an Arabian! Say: It is to those who believe a guidance and a healing; and (as for) those who do not believe, there is a heaviness in their ears and it is obscure to them; these shall be called to from a far-off place.
And if We had made it a foreign (i.e., in a language other than Arabic) Qur'an, they would indeed have said, "Had its ayat (Verses, signs) been expounded? A foreign (tongue) and an Arab (Messenger)?" Say, " To the ones who have believed it is a guidance and a cure; and the ones who do not believe, in their ears is an obstruction, and for them it is a blindness; those are called out from a place far (away)."
The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but calls and cries [i.e., cattle or sheep] - deaf, dumb and blind, so they do not understand.
So be patient, [O Muḥammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people?
And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord [postponing the penalty] until a specified time, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, those who were granted inheritance of the Scripture after them are, concerning it, in disquieting doubt.
