Overall meaning : Mention to the unbelievers among your people, Muhammad, a story to draw lessons from—that of the inhabitants of the town when Allah’s messengers came to call them to worship Him alone. We first sent them two messengers but they rejected them both, so We reinforced them with a third. They said, ‘We are Allah’s messengers to you.’ The people of the town replied, ‘You are only human beings like us. The All-Compassionate God has not revealed anything of what you claim. You are only lying!’
Their messengers said, ‘Our Lord knows that we have indeed been sent to you. Our only duty is to deliver Allah’s message to you clearly.’ The town’s inhabitants said, ‘Your presence bodes but evil for us. Desist from calling us to worship Allah alone, or we will stone you and you will suffer a painful punishment at our hands!’ Their messengers replied, ‘It is your evil omen that has brought afflictions upon you because of your unbelief and sins. Do you consider our calling you to the truth an evil omen? No, indeed! Rather, you have transgressed all bounds through your unbelief and acts of disobedience.’