Sūrat Yūnus
Section 3 of 17 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Bring Another Qur'an
Allah (swt) then turns — the Qur'an being, as noted, one of the great themes of this sūrah — to the Quraysh and the disbelievers of the time, who would mock the Qur'an and deny it. Allah (swt) says, in verse 15:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَاتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ ۙ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا ٱئْتِ بِقُرْءَانٍ غَيْرِ هَـٰذَآ أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ ۚ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلْقَآئِ نَفْسِىٓ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
“When Our verses are recited to them in all their clarity, say those who do not believe in meeting Us, “Bring a Qur’ān other than this, or make changes in it (to suit our fancies)”. Say, “It is not possible for me to make changes in it on my own. I follow nothing but what is revealed to me. If I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a terrible day.”” (10:15)
When Our verses, Our clear verses, are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say: iʾti bi-qurʾānin ghayri hādhā — bring another Qur'an than this. What need had they of another Qur'an? Was this one not sufficient? Bring another Qur'an, they say, aw baddilhu, or change it.
It is always so: when no better answer is to hand, no logical reaction, no rational reply, people resort to strange and quirky responses of this kind. Hence the demand: no, bring us another book, or change this one.
Qul — say, O Prophet (peace be upon him): mā yakūnu lī an ubaddilahu min tilqāʾi nafsī. I cannot change it of my own accord. In attabiʿu illā mā yūḥā ilayya: I follow only what is inspired to me. And I fear punishment if I disobey Allah (swt).