Transliteration:( Wa law annanaa nazzal naaa ilaihimul malaaa'ikata wa kallamahumul mawtaa wa hasharnaa 'alaihim kulla shai'in qubulam maa kaanoo liyu'minooo illaaa ai yashaaa'al laahu wa laakinna aksarahum yajhaloon )
238. By this it meant that these infidels desired to see the angels in their external form, otherwise, the noble Companions had seen the angels in human form on numerous occasions.
239. Reason for its revelation:
The infidels would mockingly say to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم that if you are a true Prophet then bring our previous dead to life who would testify to your prophethood, or bring, angels who would talk to us about veracity of your prophethood. As a reply to these infidels this verse was revealed in which it is declared that even if these demands of the infidels are satisfied they would not accept Islam. They, would reject these miracles by referring to their performance as an act of magic. Otherwise even the stones and sticks bore testimony about the Holy Prophet's صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم prophethood which was heard by the infidels yet they did not accept Islam.
240. From this we learn that propagation and miracles are not permanent guides. Guidance is obtained through the grace of Allah Almighty. These things are a means to obtaining guidance e.g. use of medicines to ward off sickness. Medicine must be used but reliance for cure must be on Allah Almighty.
241. When the infidels had asked for the above mentioned miracles some Muslims too had said that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم should show them these miracles so that these infidels may accept Islam. Allah Almighty here is explaining to these Muslims that Faith is not obtained through miracles but through the grace of Allah Almighty. Observe, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ,had made the pebbles stones, sticks, etc to recite the Kalimah, had brought back the sun that had already set, split the moon; despite these miracles many of those infidels had not accepted Islam. So why are you now so eagerly avid about their faith? The word 'most' is used to show that some of the infidels were the victims of misunderstanding and later became Muslims.
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111. And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before them, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed, but most of them behave ignorantly.) Allah says: `Had We accepted what the disbelievers asked for,’ that is — those who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that if a miracle came to them they would believe in it — `had We sent down angels, ‘ to convey to them Allah’s Message, in order to support the truth of the Messengers, as they asked, when they said,
(or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.) ﴿17:92﴾
(They said: “We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah had received.”) ﴿6:124﴾ and,
(And those who expect not a meeting with Us said: “Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord” Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride.) ﴿25:21﴾ Allah said,
(and the dead had spoken unto them,) This is, to inform them of the truth of what the Messengers brought them;
(and We had gathered together all things before them,) before their eyes, as `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas. This is the view of Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. This Ayah means, if all nations were gathered before them, one after the other, and each one testifies to the truth of what the Messengers came with,
(they would not have believed, unless Allah willed,) for guidance is with Allah not with them. Certainly, Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and He does what He wills,
(He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.) ﴿21:23﴾, This is due to His knowledge, wisdom, power, supreme authority and irresistibility. Similarly, Allah said,
(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) ﴿10:96-97﴾
(6:111) Even if We had sent angels down to them and the dead had spoken to them, and even if We had assembled before them all the things, face to face, they would still not believe unless it be Allah’s will that they believe.[78] Most of them behave in utter ignorance.
78. The people under discussion are so perverse that they do not prefer to embrace the Truth in preference to falsehood by rightly exercising their choice and volition. The only way that is left for them to become lovers of the Truth is, therefore, that by His overpowering will God should render them truth-loving not by their choice and volition, but by metamorphizing their very nature. Such a course, however, goes against the wisdom which underlies the creation of man. Hence it is futile to expect God to intervene in the matter and to force those people to believe by the exercise of His will.
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