(89–96) “We have certainly presented to mankind in this Quran every kind of illustration, yet most people refused anything but disbelief. They said, ‘We will never believe you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth; or until you have a garden of date palms and grapevines, and cause rivers to flow abundantly through it; or cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you claim; or bring Allah and the angels before us; or until you have a house of gold, or ascend into heaven—and even then, we will never believe in your ascent until you bring down to us a book that we can read.’ Say, ‘Glory be to my Lord! Am I anything but a human messenger?’ Nothing prevented people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?’ Say, ‘Had there been angels walking securely upon the earth, We would surely have sent down to them from heaven an angel as a messenger.’ Say, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you. He is indeed All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.’”

Allah Most High says: “We have certainly presented to mankind in this Quran every kind of illustration.” That is, We have varied its admonitions and illustrations and reiterated the meanings that people urgently need, so that they might take heed and become mindful of Allah. Yet only a few of them took heed: those for whom Allah had already decreed blessedness and whom He aided through His enabling grace. Most people, however, refused anything but ungrateful rejection of this blessing, which is greater than ⦗467⦘ every other blessing. They began making obstinate demands of him [by demanding] (1) signs other than His signs, contrived by their own unjust and ignorant minds.

They said to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who brought this Quran containing every proof and sign: “We will never believe you until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth,” meaning flowing rivers.

“Or until you have a garden of date palms and grapevines,” so that it would spare you from walking through the marketplaces and from going to and fro.

“Or cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you claim,” meaning fragments of punishment; “or bring Allah and the angels before us,” meaning all together, or directly before us and plainly visible, to testify that what you have brought is true.

“Or until you have a house of gold,” meaning one adorned with gold and other things; “or ascend into heaven,” a physical ascent. “And,” even then, “we will never believe in your ascent until you bring down to us a book that we can read.”

Since these were obstinate and impossible demands—the words of the most foolish and unjust of people—entailing rejection of the truth, discourtesy toward Allah, and the assumption that the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was himself the one who produced the signs, Allah commanded him to declare Him exalted, saying: “Say, ‘Glory be to my Lord!’” Exalted is He, far above what they say. Glory be to Him! His judgments and signs could never be subject to their corrupt desires and misguided opinions. “Am I anything but a human messenger?” He has no control whatsoever over the matter.

This was what prevented most people from believing: the messengers sent to them were human beings of their own kind.

Yet this was part of His mercy toward them: He sent them human messengers from among themselves, for they could not bear to receive the message from angels.

Had there been “angels walking securely upon the earth,” able to remain steadfast upon seeing angels and receiving from them, “We would surely have sent down to them from heaven an angel as a messenger,” so that they could receive from him.

“Say, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you. He is indeed All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.’” Part of His testimony in favor of His Messenger is that He supported him with miracles, sent down signs to him, and granted him victory over those who opposed and resisted him.

Had he fabricated any statements against Allah, He would have seized him by the right hand and then severed his aorta. For He is All-Aware, All-Seeing; nothing whatsoever concerning the circumstances of His servants is hidden from Him.