sheer divine will, and they add: “The intended benefit and the attendant harm simply occur together as a matter of custom and as part of Allah’s established way, even though He did not do this on account of that.”

The Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him—would sometimes ask that such signs be sent, hoping that the people would believe when they saw them. The answer, however, was that signs do not necessarily bring guidance; they merely establish the proof, and for anyone who rejects them they entail the annihilating punishment. Allah may well display many signs while sealing the heart of the unbeliever—just as He did with Pharaoh, Abū Lahab, and others—because of the great wisdom contained in that, as the Quran, the Torah, and other Scriptures attest. He has likewise made it clear that He does not unveil such signs when no wisdom would be served or when corruption would ensue.

Allah the Exalted said:
“ They have sworn by Allah with their most solemn oaths that if a sign were to come to them they would surely believe in it. Say: ‘Signs are only with Allah; but what will make you realize that even if a sign did come, they would still not believe?’ ” ⦗al-Anʿām, 6:109⦘ (109)

“ And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away, because they refused to believe the first time, and We shall leave them wandering blindly in their defiance. ” ⦗al-Anʿām, 6:110⦘ (110)

“ Even if We were to send down the angels to them, the dead were to speak to them, and We gathered before them every single thing, face to face, they would not believe unless Allah so willed. Yet most of them are ignorant. ” ⦗al-Anʿām, 6:111⦘

And He, the Exalted, said:
“ Nothing has prevented Us from sending the signs except that earlier peoples denied them. We did give Thamūd the she-camel as a visible sign, yet they wronged her. We send the signs only as a warning. ” ⦗al-Isrāʾ, 17:59⦘