al-Dhāriyāt

كَذَلِكَ مَا أتَی الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاّ قَالُوا سَاحِرٌ أوْ مَجْنُونٌ

أتَوَاصَوْا بِهِ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ طَاغُونَ

فَتَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَمَا أنتَ بِمَلُومٍ

وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَی تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

52. [O Muhammad (S)!] Likewise [your Prophethood was denied], no Messenger came to those before them but they said: “[He is] a sorcerer or a madman!”

53. Have they [former people denying Prophetic Calls] transmitted this saying to these [polytheists to confront the Prophets likewise]? Nay, they are themselves a people disobedient [to God Almighty].

54. So turn away from them, you are not to be blamed.

55. And remind [people], for indeed, the reminding profits the believers.

The blessed Verse 52 concludes the material treated in the preceding Verses and is a consolation to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) suggesting that if Meccan polytheists confront you likewise, he is to know that former Prophets were confronted in like manner. Since the Noble Prophet (S) fulfilled his Prophetic Mission and gave people the ultimatum on behalf of God Almighty, the Noble Prophet’s (S) turning away from disbelievers and his refraining from engaging in disputes with them entails no censure.

The blessed Verses in question commands believers to turn away from disobedient disbelievers and also remind the believers so as to impede the false conception that disbelievers are solely in need of being reminded;

(“then turn away”

and

“remind”).

Hearing entails benefits which may not be found in knowing. The sincerity and the manner of expression of the speaker may better impress the audience. Thus, the Noble Prophet (S) was commanded to remind the believers at all times. The blessed Verse 52 is saying that thus were the people as mentioned in the preceding Verses who called all Prophets sent to guide their peoples as sorcerers or madmen. It becomes evident that Prophets were sent to guide peoples at different times in different regions since God Almighty gives ultimatum to all peoples.

According to tradition sources, the number of Prophets stands at one hundred and twenty four thousand. The false attributions to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) were not unprecedented since all Prophets were called sorcerers and madmen by disbelievers. Addressed to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) the blessed Verses 53 and 54 ask whether former peoples had suggested their successors to maintain unanimity in their unfounded attributions of sorcery and madness to Prophets. Then the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) is suggested to turn away from them since he fulfilled his Prophetic Mission and is not to be censured by God Almighty.

The blessed Verse 55 is suggesting the Noble Prophet (S) to turn away from disbelievers’ unfounded attributions springing from their obstinacy and arrogance and remind the believers since they may benefit from reminder and admonition and their faith will be further consolidated, since warning them against Divine Omnipotence and Grandeur at times and talk about His Mercy, Forgiving, and Graciousness in order to encourage them to set their hopes on him entails profits for them.