Overall meaning : The Almighty says: When the clear verses of the Qur’an, which plainly prove they are from Allah, are recited to the Quraysh idolaters, they mockingly say to one another, ‘Muhammad is just a man who wants to turn you away from the idols your fathers worshipped!’ And they say, ‘What he recites is nothing but a fabrication that he has falsely attributed to Allah.’ Those who denied the Qur’an when it reached them say, ‘This is nothing but clear downright magic!’
They say this even though We did not send down to them any books before the Qur’an they could read so they can now prove that you, Muhammad, have invented the Qur’an yourself, nor did We send them a messenger before you to warn them of Our punishment. Past nations (like ‘Aad and Thamud) before the Quraysh unbelievers also denied the truth. These people have not attained even one-tenth of the wealth, children and power We had bestowed upon them, yet We destroyed them when they stubbornly denied My messengers. How terrible My condemnation and retribution was!