Surah Al-Hijr Verse 12

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى شِيَعِ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - وَمَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ - كَذَلِكَ نَسْلُكُهُ فِى قُلُوبِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ - لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ سُنَّةُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

(10. Indeed, We sent (Messengers) before you (O Muhammad) amongst the earlier communities.)

(11. And there never came a Messenger to them but that they mocked him. )

(12. Thus We allow it to enter the hearts of the guilty.)

(13. They would not believe in it (the Qur'an); and already the example of the ancients has gone forth.)

The Idolators of Every Nation made a Mockery of their Messengers

Consoling His Messenger for the rejection of the disbelieving Quraysh, Allah says that He has sent Messengers before him to the nations of the past, and no Messenger came to a nation but they rejected him and mocked him. Then He tells him that He lets disbelief enter the hearts of those sinners who are too stubborn and too arrogant to follow His guidance.

كَذَلِكَ نَسْلُكُهُ فِى قُلُوبِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ

(Thus We allow it to enter the hearts of the guilty.) Anas and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that this referred to Shirk.

وَقَدْ خَلَتْ سُنَّةُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

(and already the example of the ancients has gone forth.) meaning the destruction wrought by Allah on those who rejected His Messengers, and how He saved His Prophets and their followers in this world and in the Hereafter, is well known.