Transliteration:( Wa aqsamoo billaahi jahda aymaanihim la’in jaaa’ahum nazeerul layakoonunna ahdaa min ihdal umami falam maa jaaa’ahum nazeerum maa zaadahum illaa nufooraa )
"And they swore by Allah, with the utmost strength [123] of their oaths that if a warner came to them, they will certainly be better guided [124] than any of the other Ummahs. But when a warner came to them, it increased them not, but in hate (for him)."
Before the coming of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, the Quraysh had heard how the Jews and Christians rejected their Prophets and disobeyed them. In their arrogance, they swore by Allah with great solemnity—especially near sunset at the Ka‘bah—that if a warner were sent to them, they would never be like those peoples. This oath was very strong, showing their confidence in their own guidance and superiority.
They claimed that if a warner came to them, they would be better guided than all other nations. The plural term here (‘am) is used in a general sense, indicating a collective claim of excellence and superior adherence to guidance, as explained in Tafseer Roohul Bayaan.
However, despite these strong oaths, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ did come as the warner, it only increased their hostility and rejection towards him rather than guiding them to the truth.
42. And they swore by Allah their most binding oath that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations; yet when a warner came to them, it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth). 43. (They took to flight because of their) arrogance in the land and their plotting of evil. But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. Then, can they expect anything (else) but the Sunnah (way of dealing) of the peoples of old So, no change will you find in Allah’s Sunnah, and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah.
Allah tells us how Quraysh and the Arabs swore by Allah their most binding oath before the Messenger came to them,
(that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations;) i.e., than any of the nations to whom Messengers had been sent. This was the view of Ad-Dahhak and others. This is like the Ayat:
(Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: “The Book was sent down only to two sects before us, and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied.” Or lest you should say: “If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they.” So, now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and turns away therefrom) (6:156-157)
(And indeed they (Arab pagans) used to say: “If we had a reminder as had the men of old, We would have indeed been the chosen servants of Allah!” But they disbelieve therein, so they will come to know!) (37:167-170) Allah says:
(yet when a warner came to them,) — meaning, Muhammad with the Book revealed to him, i.e., the Clear Qur’an,
(it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth).) means, they only increased in their disbelief. Then Allah explains this further:
((They took to flight because of their) arrogance in the land) means, they were too arrogant to follow the signs of Allah.
(and their plotting of evil.) means, they plotted to prevent people from following the path of Allah.
(But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it.) means, the evil consequences of that will come back upon them and not on others.
(Then, can they expect anything (else) but the Sunnah (way of dealing) of the peoples of old) meaning, the punishment of Allah for disbelieving in His Messengers and going against His command.
(and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah.) means, it does not change or alter, and this is what happens to every disbeliever.
(and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah.) means,
(But when Allah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it) (13:11). This means, no one can remove that from them or ward it off from them. And Allah knows best.
(35:42) Swearing by Allah their strongest oaths they claimed that if a warner came to them they would be better-guided than any other people.[71] But when a warner did come to them, his coming only increased their aversion (to the Truth).
71. Before the advent of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the same thing used to be said by the Arabs, in general, and by the Quraish, in particular, when they witnessed the moral degeneration of the Jews and the Christians. Mention of this saying of theirs has also been made in (Surah Al-Anaam, Ayat 156-157) and in (Surah As-Saffat, Ayat 167-169).
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