Meccan·Surah 43

الزخرف

Surah Az-Zukhruf — Ayah 57

The Gold Adornments

89 Ayahs·Verse 43:57
43:57

۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ

And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.

Context in Surah Az-Zukhruf

Nearby ayahs help place verse 43:57 in sequence and meaning.

فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.

فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ سَلَفًا وَمَثَلًا لِّلْـَٔاخِرِينَ

And We made them a precedent and an example for the later peoples.

وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَـٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًۢا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ

And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُ مَثَلًا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ

Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.