Transliteration:( Bal 'ajibooo an jaa'ahum munzirum minhum faqaalal kaafiroona haazaa shai'un 'ajeeb )
"But they wondered that a warner [2] has come to them from themselves. And the infidels say: 'This is a strange thing.'" [3]
The verse highlights that although the infidels did believe in the Prophet (PBUH), they were astonished that Prophethood was bestowed upon a human being. They expected it to be given to an angel instead.
It is ironic that these people, who accepted wood and stones as deities, were hesitant to accept the Prophethood of the leader of mankind.
There are two types of astonishment: one that accepts and one that rejects. In this context, the infidels’ astonishment is one of rejection.
For a believer, showing bewilderment at the lofty status of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a testament to their faith, proving the excellence of their belief.
The tafsir of Surah Qaf verse 2 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Qaf ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 2 through 5.
(50:2) Nay; they wondered that a warner should have come to them from among themselves.[2] The unbelievers said: “This indeed is a strange thing.
2. This sentence is a unique example of eloquence. In it a vast subject has been compressed into a few brief words. The object for which an oath has been sworn by the Quran has not been mentioned. Instead, a subtle gap has been left and the sentence is resumed with “but”. If one thinks a little and also keeps in view the background in which this has been said, one comes to know what is the subject of the gap that has been left between the oath and “but”. In fact, what has been sworn of is this: The people of Makkah have not refused to acknowledge the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) for any sound reason but for the highly unsound reason that a member of their own kind and an individual of their own nation has come to them as a Warner from God and this is something highly surprising for them. Whereas what would actually be surprising was if God had remained unconcerned about the well being and adversity of His servants and made no arrangement whatsoever to warn them; or had sent a nonhuman to warn the human beings; or a non Arab to warn the Arabs. Therefore, this basis of the denial is absolutely unsound, and a reasonable person cannot but admit that there must exist some arrangement from God to warn the servants, and in the form that the Warner himself should be a person from among the people to whom he is sent. As for the question whether Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the person whom God has sent on this mission, no other evidence is needed to settle it but this glorious and beneficent Quran, which he is presenting; this is by itself enough to provide a proof of it. This explanation shows that in this verse an oath has been sworn by the Quran to impress the point that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is really the Messenger of Allah and the disbelievers’ surprise and wonder about his apostleship is misplaced, and the fact of the Quran’s being majeed is a proof of this claim
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