“Was it so remarkable to people that We revealed to a man from among them, ‘Warn the people and give glad tidings to those who believe that they will have a sure footing with their Lord’? The disbelievers said, ‘This is plainly a sorcerer.’ (2) Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then rose over the Throne, directing all affairs. No intercessor may intercede except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Will you not then take heed? (3)”

His saying, exalted is He, “Was it so remarkable to people?” Wonder is a state that comes over a person upon seeing something contrary to what is customary.

The occasion for the revelation of the verse was this: 168/a When Allah, exalted is He, sent Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as a messenger, the polytheists said, “Allah is too great for His messenger to be a human being.” So He, exalted is He, said, “Was it so remarkable to people”—meaning the people of Makkah. The opening interrogative conveys rebuke—“that We revealed to a man from among them,” meaning Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him; “Warn the people,” that is, inform them while warning them; “and give glad tidings to those who believe that they will have a sure footing with their Lord.”

There is disagreement concerning this. Ibn Abbas said: “It means a good reward for the deeds they have sent ahead.” Al-Dahhak said: “A true reward.” Al-Hasan said: “Righteous deeds that they had sent ahead, which they will find before them.” Ali ibn Abi Talhah narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: “It is felicity in the prior decree.” Zayd ibn Aslam said: “It is the intercession of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.” Ata said: “A station of truth that will not pass away and in which there is no misery.” It was also said: “A lofty rank.” (2)

The word “footing” is annexed to “truth,” although “truth” functions as its adjective, just as they say, “the congregational mosque” and “harvested grain.” Abu Ubaydah said: “Among the Arabs, every precedence in good or evil is called a precedent. They say, ‘So-and-so has precedence in Islam,’ and, ‘He has with me a worthy precedent and an evil precedent.’ It may also be treated as feminine, so they say, ‘a good precedent’ and ‘a righteous precedent.’”

“The disbelievers said, ‘This is plainly a sorcerer.’” Nafi and the reciters of Basra and Syria read it as, “This is plainly magic,” without an alif, referring to the Quran. Ibn Kathir and the reciters of Kufa read it as, “This is plainly a sorcerer,” with an alif, referring to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

His saying, exalted is He: “Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then rose over the Throne, directing all affairs”—that is, He decrees them alone—“No intercessor may intercede except after His permission.” This means that the intercessors do not intercede