al-Zukhruf

أَفَنَضْرِبُ عَنْكُمُ الذِّكْرَ صَفْحاً أَنْ كُنْتُمْ قَوْماً مُسْرِفِينَ

وَكَمْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ فِي الْأَوَّلِينَ

وَمَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

فَأَهْلَكْنَا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ بَطْشاً وَمَضَى مَثَلُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

5. Shall We then take away the Reminder [i.e., the Holy Qur’an] from you, because you are transgressors beyond bounds.
6. And how many a prophet have We sent amongst the ancient.
7. And never came there a prophet to them but they would mock him.
8. Then We destroyed men stronger [in terms of power] than them [transgressors of bounds] and the fate of the ancient was recurred.

Ignoring Divine injunctions is regarded as transgression of bounds (israf). All prophets were mocked by disbelievers; therefore, any prophet was expected to be aware of his predecessors so that he would not desist from carrying out his duty for disbelievers’ mockery. Verse five is a reference to the preceding one.

is a rhetorical question conveying the meaning that are We supposed to leave you in your ignorance and take away the Reminder, namely the Holy Qur’an, from you so that you may be deprived of such Divine Favor despite your transgression of bounds, persistence in disbelief and animosity to the extreme, and your being astray in the abyss of error? It may allude to disbelievers’ persistence in staying in error and denial of Divine Guidance, namely the inimitable Word emanated from the springhead of Divine Favor revealed to the Prophet (S) for guidance and felicity.

Despite disbelievers’ turning away from the Reminder, God Almighty provides humanity with everlasting Grace and innumerable Favors through the Revelation of the Holy Qur’an in order that they may benefit from Divine Guidance. Addressing the Noble Prophet (S), the following Verses serve as a consolation to him and a warning against polytheists by saying that God Almighty appointed many a prophet among the polytheist ancient who transgressed the bounds.

Their disbelief did not hinder Divine appointment of prophets. All prophets were subject to the mockery of ancient disbelievers and it was their disbelief that led to the chastisement of the most powerful of the ancient nations and their perdition. A number of instances are attested in the Holy Qur’an as per which the glory and power of the ancient could not impede their being chastised for their persistence in disbelief and their treatment of their prophets. Their dire fate may serve as a lesson to others.