Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and 'Aad and Thamud and those after them? No one knows them but Allah. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."
اردو — مودودی
کیا تمہیں اُن قوموں کے حالات نہیں پہنچے جو تم سے پہلے گزر چکی ہیں؟ قوم نوحؑ، عاد، ثمود اور اُن کے بعد آنے والی بہت سی قومیں جن کا شمار اللہ ہی کو معلوم ہے؟ اُن کے رسول جب اُن کے پاس صاف صاف باتیں اور کھلی کھلی نشانیاں لیے ہوئے آئے تو اُنہوں نے اپنے منہ میں ہاتھ دبا لیے اور کہا کہ "جس پیغام کے ساتھ تم بھیجے گئے ہو ہم اس کو نہیں مانتے اور جس چیز کی تم ہمیں دعوت دیتے ہو اُس کی طرف سے ہم سخت خلجان آمیز شک میں پڑے ہوئے ہیں"
Bahasa Indonesia — Kemenag
Belumkah sampai kepadamu berita orang-orang sebelum kamu (yaitu) kaum Nuh, 'Ad, Tsamud dan orang-orang sesudah mereka. Tidak ada yang mengetahui mereka selain Allah. Telah datang rasul-rasul kepada mereka (membawa) bukti-bukti yang nyata lalu mereka menutupkan tangannya ke mulutnya (karena kebencian), dan berkata: "Sesungguhnya kami mengingkari apa yang kamu disuruh menyampaikannya (kepada kami), dan sesungguhnya kami benar-benar dalam keragu-raguan yang menggelisahkan terhadap apa yang kamu ajak kami kepadanya".
Ibn Kathir
Earlier Nations disbelieved in Their Prophets
Allah narrated to this Ummah (followers of Muhammad ) the stories of the people of Prophet Nuh, `Ad and Thamud, and other ancient nations that belied their Messengers. Only Allah knows the count of these nations,
جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ
(To them came their Messengers with clear proofs,) they brought them evidences and plain, tremendous proofs and signs. Ibn Ishaq reported that `Amr bin Maymun said that `Abdullah said about Allah's statement,
لاَ يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ
(None knows them but Allah.) "The genealogists utter lies." This is why `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said, "We did not find anyone who knows the forefathers of Ma`dd bin `Adnan."
Meaning of, "They put Their Hands in Their Mouths
Allah said next,
فَرَدُّواْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ
(but they put their hands in their mouths) It is said that they pointed to the Messengers' mouths asking them to stop calling them to Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored. It is also said that it means, they placed their hands on their mouths in denial of the Messengers. It was also said that it means that they did not answer the call of the Messengers, or they were biting their hands in rage. Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b and Qatadah said that they belied the Messengers and refuted their call with their mouths. I (Ibn Kathir) say that Mujahid's Tafsir is supported by the completion of the narrative,
وَقَالُواْ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
(and said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are really in grave doubt as to that to which you invite us.") Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "When they heard Allah's Word, they were amazed and placed their hands on their mouths,"
وَقَالُواْ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ
(and said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.") They said, We do not believe what you brought us, and have strong doubt in its authenticity. '
المُيَسَّر
ألم يأتكم -يا أمَّة محمد- خبر الأمم التي سبقتكم، قوم نوح وقوم هود وقوم صالح، والأمم التي بعدهم، لا يحصي عددهم إلا الله، جاءتهم رسلهم بالبراهين الواضحات، فعضُّوا أيديهم غيظًا واستنكافًا عن قَبول الإيمان، وقالوا لرسلهم: إنا لا نصدِّق بما جئتمونا به، وإنا لفي شكٍّ مما تدعوننا إليه من الإيمان والتوحيد موجب للريبة.