Surah Al-Anbya, Ayah 36
Quran 21:36 · The Prophets · Makki · Para 17 · Page 325
وَاِذَا رَاٰكَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْۤا اِنْ یَّتَّخِذُوْنَكَ اِلَّا هُزُوًا ؕ اَهٰذَا الَّذِیْ یَذْكُرُ اٰلِهَتَكُمْ ۚ وَهُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمٰنِ هُمْ كٰفِرُوْنَ ۟
Transliteration
Wa-itha raaka allatheenakafaroo in yattakhithoonaka illa huzuwan ahathaallathee yathkuru alihatakum wahum bithikriarrahmani hum kafiroon
Saheeh International
And when those who disbelieve see you, [O Muḥammad], they take you not except in ridicule, [saying], "Is this the one who mentions [i.e., insults] your gods?" And they are, at the mention of the Most Merciful, disbelievers.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
O Messenger! When these idolaters see you they only mock you, trying to make you loathsome in the eyes of their followers by saying, “Is this the one who insults the idols that you worship?” whilst they themselves reject the Qur’ān that Allah revealed to them and the blessings He conferred upon them, together with mocking you. So they themselves are closer to shame, due to their accumulating every evil.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) on 21:36–21:37
And when those who disbelieved see you, they take you not except for mockery (saying): "Is this the one who talks about your gods?" While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious (36)Man is created of haste. I will show you My Ayat. So ask Me not to hasten (them)(37)
How the Idolators mocked the Prophet (ﷺ)
Allah tells His Prophet ﷺ:
وَإِذَا رَآكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
(And when those who disbelieved see you,) meaning, the disbelievers of the Quraysh, such as Abu Jahl and his like.
إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا
(they take you not except for mockery) means, they make fun of you and insult you, saying,
أَهَٰذَا الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ آلِهَتَكُمْ
("Is this the one who talks about your gods?") meaning, is this the one who insults your gods and ridicules your intelligence? Allah says:
وَهُم بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ هُمْ كَافِرُونَ
(While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious.) meaning, they disbelieve in Allah and yet they mock the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. As Allah says:
وَإِذَا رَأَوْكَ إِنْ يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَٰذَا الَّذِي بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولًا - إِنْ كَادَ لَيُضِلُّنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا لَوْلَا أَنْ صَبَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ حِينَ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا
(And when they see you, they treat you only in mockery (saying): "Is this the one whom Allah has sent as a Messenger? He would have nearly misled us from our gods, had it not been that we were patient and constant in their worship!" And they will know, when they see the torment, who it is that is most astray from the path!)(25:41-42)
خُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ
(Man is created of haste.) This is like the Ayah:
وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ عَجُولًا
(and man is ever hasty)(17:11), in all matters. The reason why the haste of man is mentioned here is that when mention is made of those who mock the Messenger ﷺ, (the believers) will want to avenge them swiftly, and that so should happen sooner. Allah says,
خُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ
(Man is created of haste.) because He delays (the punishment) until a time when, once He seizes him, He will never let him go. He delays it, then He hastens it; He waits, then He does not delay any longer. So He says:
سَأُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِي
(I will show you My Ayat) meaning, My vengeance, ruling and power over those who disobey Me.
فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ
(So ask Me not to hasten (them).)