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wa-ʾidhā tutlā ʿalayhim ʾāyātunā bayyinātin qāla lladhīna lā yarjūna liqāʾanā ʾti bi-qurʾānin ghayri hādhā ʾaw baddilhu qul mā yakūnu lī ʾan ʾubaddilahū min tilqāʾī nafsī ʾin ʾattabiʿu ʾillā mā yūḥā ʾilayya ʾinnī ʾakhāfu ʾin ʿaṣaytu rabbī ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīmin
When Our manifest signs are recited to them, those who do not expect to encounter Us say, ‘Bring a Quran other than this, or alter it.’ Say, ‘I may not alter it of my own accord. I follow only what is revealed to me. Indeed should I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a tremendous day.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Yunus – Verse 15
15. “And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: ‘Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or alter it.’ Say: ‘It is not for me to alter it of my own accord, I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day (to come).’”
The Occasion of the Revelation
This holy verse and the next two verses had been revealed concerning several idol-worshippers when they came to the Prophet (S) and said:
“Whatever this Qur’an says about abandoning the worship of our great idols namely Lat, Uzza, Manat, Hubal and its disrespect of them is not acceptable and bearable to us. If you want us to follow you, get us another Qur’an which is free of this criticism, or, at least change such ideas in this present Qur’an.”
These holy verses, following the previous verses, are all concerned with ‘Origin and End’. First, The Qur’an alludes to one of the great mistakes of the idol-worshippers. It says:
“And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: ‘Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or alter it.’...”
These ignorant people did not want the Prophet (S) to guide them as a leader; they rather invited him to follow in the footsteps of their own superstitious conjectures. The Qur’an explicitly enlightens them regarding their grave mistake, ordering the Prophet (S) to tell them that it is impossible for him to alter the Divine revelation by himself. The verse says:
“…Say: ‘It is not for me to alter it of my own accord...”
Then, to articulate further, he should add that he would only follow what was revealed to him, and that not only he could not make any alterations in that heavenly Revelation, but, also he feared the punishment of that Great Day (Resurrection) if he would disobey the Command of the Lord. The holy verse says:
“…I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day (to come).’”