Yūnus 10:53

The issue

The Quraysh asked Muḥammad, “whether it be true.” According to Islamic commentaries, the question refers to the authenticity of Muḥammad’s claim of prophethood and the veracity of the Qur’ān. Another suggestion claims that the question refers to the veracity of the information concerning the resurrection. A third explanation states that the Quraysh questioned Muḥammad in this way: Is what “you [Muḥammad] promise us concerning the coming suffering upon us in this life” true? Muḥammad responded, “Aye, by my Lord! verily, it is the truth….”

Muḥammad should have responded to the Quraysh with reasonable arguments or visible evidence (a miracle). His mere statement, “Aye, by my Lord! verily, it is the truth,” was not enough for the Quraysh to believe in him. If the Quraysh trusted Muḥammad’s words, they would have believed in him and left their religion. Instead, the Quraysh remained faithful to their own religion until Muḥammad came to them ten years later—accompanied by a sizable army.

It is noteworthy that the Quraysh were mocking Muḥammad by their questions. Muslim scholar al-Zamakhsharī writes, “‘[W]hether it be true’ is an inquiry from a perspective of denial and mockery".