(183–184) “Those who said, ‘Indeed, Allah bound us by covenant not to believe any messenger unless he brings us an offering consumed by fire.’ Say, ‘Messengers before me already came to you with clear proofs and with what you demanded, so why did you kill them, if you are truthful?’ * If they deny you, messengers before you were also denied, though they came with clear proofs, scriptures, and the illuminating Book.”

Allah Most High informs us of the condition of these fabricators, who said, “Indeed, Allah bound us by covenant”—that is, He instructed and enjoined us—“not to believe any messenger unless he brings us an offering consumed by fire.” They thus combined lying about Allah with restricting the sign of a messenger’s truthfulness to what they had specified in this manifest fabrication. They claimed that when they refused to believe in a messenger who did not bring them an offering consumed by fire, they were thereby obeying their Lord and adhering to His covenant.

It is well known, however, that every messenger sent by Allah is supported with signs and proofs sufficient to inspire people to believe. Allah did not restrict those signs to what they had mentioned. Moreover, they uttered a fabrication to which they themselves did not adhere and a falsehood by which they did not act. Allah therefore commanded His Messenger to say to them: “Say, ‘Messengers before me already came to you with clear proofs’” demonstrating their truthfulness, “and with what you demanded”—that is, they brought you an offering consumed by fire—“so why did you kill them, if you are truthful?” That is, if they were truthful in their claim (1) that they would believe in a messenger who brought (2) an offering consumed by fire. This plainly exposed their lies, obstinacy, and self-contradiction.

Allah then consoled His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—saying: “If they deny you, messengers before you were also denied.” In other words, this is the customary practice of the wrongdoers: they persist in disbelieving in Allah and denying His messengers. Their denial of Allah’s messengers was not due to any deficiency in what the messengers brought or any lack of clear proof. Rather, they “came with clear proofs”—that is, rational arguments and transmitted proofs—“and scriptures,” meaning written books sent down from heaven that none but messengers could bring.

“And the illuminating Book”—a Book that sheds light upon religious rulings and explains the rational merits they embody, and that also casts light upon truthful accounts. Since it is their habit not to believe in messengers of this description, do not grieve over them or be troubled by their conduct. Then Allah Most High said: