Tafsir of Ya seen 36:15

Surah Ya-Sin (36): Verse 15

Then Allah clarified what transpired from them, paralleling what happened with Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). They said: {إنا إليكم مرسلون} (We are surely messengers to you) [36:14], just as it was said to the Prophet: {إنك لمن المرسلين} (Indeed, you are one of the messengers) [36:3].

Allah refuted what the people said by stating: {قالوا ما أنتم إلا بشر مثلنا وما أنزل الرحمن من شيء} (They said, "You are nothing but human beings like us, and the Most Merciful has not sent down anything.")

They used their being human beings like them as evidence for the absence of prophethood. This is a general statement made by the polytheists regarding Muhammad (PBUH), as in: {عليه الذكر من} (The reminder is upon him) [38:8]. They considered this a valid proof based on their belief that Allah does not possess free choice (ikhtiyār); rather, they believed He is inherently necessitating (mūjib bi-l-dhāt). Since they shared the same humanity, they argued that superiority (rajḥān) was impossible.

Allah the Almighty refuted their claim with His words: {الله أعلم حيث يجعل رسالته} (Allah knows best where to place His message) [6:124], and {الله يجتبى إليه من يشاء} (Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills) [42:13], and other similar verses.

The phrase {وما أنزل الرحمن من شيء} (and the Most Merciful has not sent down anything) can be interpreted in two ways:

1. As a continuation of their previous assertion: This makes the entire statement one single objection. The meaning is: You are human beings, so you have not received anything from Allah, and Allah has not sent anyone down to you. How then have you become messengers of Allah?
2. As a separate, independent objection: After stating, "You are human beings like us, so it is not permissible for you to be superior to us," they raised an objection concerning the messengers. Then, they raised a second objection concerning the Sender (Allah), arguing that He does not send anything down into this world. According to their doctrine, His action is in the celestial realm, and the celestial beings act upon the lower realms. Therefore, Allah has not sent anything down into the world, so how could He have sent you?

And His statement {الرحمن} (The Most Merciful) is an allusion to refuting them. Since Allah is the Most Merciful in this world, and sending messengers is a mercy, how could He not send down His mercy when He is the Most Merciful? They said, "The Most Merciful has not sent anything down," yet how could the Most Merciful not send anything down when He is the perfect Mercy?

This means: You are nothing but liars.

(They said,) "Our Lord knows that indeed, we are messengers to you."