The Holy Quran 17:59 — Surah Al-Isra

Arabic text

وَمَا مَنَعَنَآ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّآ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ ٱلنَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُوا۟ بِهَا ۚ وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا

Translation

The only factor that prevented Us from sending Aayaat (miracles that people requested) was that the former people had rejected them, (We therefore did not allow people to see miracles when We knew that they would reject them because punishment immediately overtakes people who reject miracles that they themselves ask for). We granted the (pregnant) camel (that came out from a rock) to the (nation of) Thamud as an eye-opener (by which they could believe that Saalih عليه الصلاة والسلام was Allaah's Nabi), but they treated it unjustly (they still did not believe him and killed the camel. Thereafter, they were all destroyed). We send Aayaat only as warnings (to convince people to accept Imaan).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The reason why signs on demand are not sent: it is stated in a hadith that the people of Makkah asked the Prophet ﷺ for certain signs, for example: “Turn Mount Safa into gold, or remove the mountains from around us and level the ground so that it is fit for cultivation,” and so on. “Do this, and then we will believe in you.” This verse was revealed in reply.

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