and He has dispatched to you the Angel of the Mountains, that you might order him to do with them whatever you will.’

The Angel of the Mountains then called me, greeted me with salām, and said, ‘Allah has heard the words of your people and how they have answered you. He has sent me to you so that you may command me as you wish. If you so desire, I will crush them between the two rocky ridges.’

But I replied, ‘Rather, I hope that Allah will bring forth from their very loins people who will worship Allah alone, associating nothing with Him.’ ” The two Ṣaḥīḥ compilers recorded this report.

When the Messiah was asked for the Table Spread, it belonged to that category of signs which, if denied, would necessitate a punishment the like of which no one in the worlds had ever faced.

Allah the Exalted said:

“[Remember] when the disciples said, ‘O Jesus son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table spread from heaven?’ He answered, ‘Fear Allah, if you are [truly] believers.’” ⦗Surah al-Māʾidah, 112⦘ (112)

“They said, ‘We wish to eat from it, so that our hearts may be set at ease, that we may know you have spoken the truth to us, and that we may be among its witnesses.’” ⦗Surah al-Māʾidah, 113⦘ (113)

“Jesus son of Mary said, ‘O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table spread from heaven to be a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. Provide for us, for You are the best of providers.’” ⦗Surah al-Māʾidah, 114⦘ (114)

“Allah said, ‘I am indeed sending it down to you, but whoever among you disbelieves thereafter, I will punish him with a torment such as I have never inflicted on anyone in all the worlds.’” ⦗Surah al-Māʾidah, 115⦘

And before the Torah had been revealed, Allah would annihilate those who rejected the messengers with a punishment