What does Quran 43:57 mean?

Quran 43:57 (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayah 57) translates to: "And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud."

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 43:57 from?

This ayah is from Surah Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of gold), the 43th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 25.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 43:57?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawud.

What tafsir is available for Quran 43:57?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn, Ibn Abbas — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 43:57 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Maryam, Rejection of Prophets, Disbelief, Historical Events, Social Themes.

Ayah 56

فَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ سَلَفًۭا وَمَثَلًۭا لِّلْءَاخِرِين...

43:57Az-Zukhruf

Ayah 58

وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ...

۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ

Wa lammaa duribab nu Maryama masalan izaa qawmu ka minhu yasidoon

And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.

Themes in this ayah

Explore in Habl →

Lessons from past peoples52

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

2 other themes with weak connections

Labeled by AI and people · How this works

Follow this theme through Az-ZukhrufFollow this theme

Lessons from past peoples

43:57Ayah 189

16 ayahs in Az-Zukhruf are strongly about lessons from past peoples.

← Previous on Lessons from past peoples43:55And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.Next on Lessons from past peoples →43:63And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, "I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ,

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 43:57→

And when the son of Mary is cited as an example — after God’s following words were revealed ‘Truly you and what you worship besides God shall be fuel for Hell’ Q. 2198 and the idolaters said ‘We are satisfied that our gods be together with Jesus in Hell for he too was worshipped besides God’ — behold! your people that is the idolaters laugh at it at this example — they clamour with joy at what they hear.

What would you do when the son of Mary would descend and lead you?

Sahih Muslim #5977Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Sahih

No child is born but he is pricked by the satan and he begins to weep because of the pricking of the satan except the son of Mary and his mother. Abu Huraira then said: You may recite if you so like (the verse):" I seek Thy protection for her and her offspring against satan the accursed" (iii. 36).

Sunan Abu Dawud #4738‘Amir b. Shahr said :Sahih

I was with the Negus when his son recited a verse of the Gospel. So I laughed. Thereupon he said : Do you laugh at the word of Allah, the Exalted?

Sahih Muslim #5452Mughira b. Shu'ba reported:Sahih

When I came to Najran, they (the Christians of Najran) asked me: You read" O sister of Harun" (i. e. Hadrat Maryam) in the Qur'an, whereas Moses was born much before Jesus. When I came back to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I asked him about that, whereupon he said: The (people of the old age) used to give names (to their persons) after the names of Apostles and pious persons who had gone before them.

Sahih Muslim #299It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:Sahih

What would you do when the son of Mary would descend amongst you and would lead you as one amongst you? Ibn Abi Dhi'b on the authority of Abu Huraira narrated: Your leader amongst you. Ibn Abi Dhi'b said: Do you know what the words:" He would lead as one amongst you" mean? I said: Explain these to me. He said: He would lead you according to the Book of your: Lord (hallowed be He and most exalted) and the Sunnah of your Apostle (ﷺ).