Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:4

"And no sign comes to them..."

• "Min" (in min ayah): Denotes totality (generalization).
• "Min" (in min ayah min): Denotes partitivity (specification).

It means: No evidence whatsoever—from among the proofs that require contemplation, deduction, and reflection—appears to them, but that they turn away from it. They abandon reflection, paying it no heed and showing it no regard, due to their lack of fear and their failure to contemplate the consequences.

"But they denied..." This is a response to an omitted premise, as if it were said: "If they turn away from the signs, then they have denied that which is the greatest and most significant sign, which is the Truth."

"...when it came to them..." Meaning: The Qur'an, with which they were challenged despite their extreme eloquence, yet they were unable to produce its like.

"...so there will come to them the news of that which they used to ridicule." This refers to the Qur'an. It means: They will come to know what it was they were ridiculing, and it will become clear to them that it was not a subject for ridicule. This will occur when the punishment is sent upon them in this world and on the Day of Resurrection, or upon the emergence of Islam and the exaltation of its word.

"Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought into being after them another generation."