Surah Ghafir 40:4

One of the Attributes of the Disbelievers is That they dispute theAyat of Allah -- and The Consequences of that Allah tells us that noone rejects or disputes His signs after clear proof has come,

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

(but those who disbelieve), i.e., those who reject the signs of Allah and His proof and evidence.

فَلاَ يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِى الْبِلاَدِ

(So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land deceive you!) means, their wealth and luxurious life. This is like the Ayah:

لاَ يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى الْبِلَـدِ - مَتَـعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

(Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.) (3:196-197)

نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.) (31:24). Then Allah consoles His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for the rejection of his people. He tells him that he has an example in the Prophets who came before him, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, for their nations disbelieved them and opposed them, and only a few believed in them.

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ

(The people of Nuh denied before these;) Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.

وَالاٌّحْزَابُ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

(and the groups after them) means, from every nation.

وَهَمَّتْ كُـلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ

(and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,) means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.

وَجَـدَلُوا بِالْبَـطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُواْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ

(and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.) means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.

فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ

(So I seized them) means, `I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ

(and how was My punishment!) means, `how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.' Qatadah said, "It was terrible, by Allah."

وَكَذَلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَـبُ النَّارِ

(Thus has the Word of your Lord been justified against those who disbelieved, that they will be the dwellers of the Fire.) means, `just as the Word of punishment was justified against those of the past nations who disbelieved, so too is it justified against these disbelievers who have rejected you and gone against you, O Muhammad, and it is even more justified against them, because if they have disbelieved in you, there is no certainty that they will believe in any other Prophet.' And Allah knows best.

Pada ayat ini, Allah menerangkan bahwa hanya orang-orang kafir yang tidak senang kepada kebenaran, suka mendebat, menentang, dan mendustakan isi Al-Qur'an serta menuduhnya yang bukan-bukan. Di antara perkataan mereka adalah bahwa Al-Qur'an itu hanya syair, sihir, dongeng orang-orang dahulu, atau tuduhan lainnya yang meremehkan. Padahal, sudah jelas dan diketahui oleh umum bahwa semua isi Al-Qur'an itu adalah benar. Suatu perdebatan yang sifatnya mempertanyakan isi Al-Qur'an adalah perbuatan yang sangat tercela dan merupakan suatu kekafiran, sebagaimana sabda Nabi Muhammad:

Memperdebatkan isi Al-Qur'an adalah kekafiran. (Riwayat A.hmad dari Abu Hurairah)

Adapun perdebatan yang mempersoalkan sesuatu dengan maksud untuk mencari dan menguatkan sesuatu yang hak, menjelaskan yang masih samar-samar, mengambil suatu pengertian hukum, menolak paham-paham dan kepercayaan yang menyimpang dan tidak sesuai dengan ajaran Islam, serta menentang pengertian yang meremehkan isi Al-Qur'an, adalah perbuatan yang baik dan terpuji. Bahkan, yang demikian itu adalah perbuatan yang menjadi tugas para nabi.

Pada akhir ayat ini, Allah memperingatkan Nabi Muhammad supaya jangan teperdaya dengan kemewahan yang diperoleh para penentangnya, kebebasan gerak mereka dari satu kota ke kota yang lain, berjual-beli dan berdagang seenaknya sehingga memperoleh kekayaan yang bertumpuk-tumpuk. Bagaimanapun juga, kesemuanya itu mempunyai batas, dan sifatnya sementara paling lama sama dengan umurnya. Sesudah itu mereka akan mendapat siksaan yang amat pedih di akhirat. Firman Allah:

Jangan sekali-kali kamu teperdaya oleh kegiatan orang-orang kafir (yang bergerak) di seluruh negeri. Itu hanyalah kesenangan sementara, kemudian tempat kembali mereka ialah neraka Jahanam. (Jahanam) itu seburuk-buruk tempat tinggal. (ali 'Imran/3: 196-197)