Surah Anam ayat 8 Tafsir Quran 6:8

﴿وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكًا لَّقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ ثُمَّ لَا يُنظَرُونَ﴾
[ الأنعام: 8]

6:8 And they say, "Why was there not sent down to him an angel?" But if We had sent down an angel, the matter would have been decided; then they would not be reprieved.

And they say ‘Why has an angel not been sent down to him?’ to Muhammad (s) to confirm his truthfulness; yet had We sent down an angel as they have requested and if they then did not believe the matter that they be destroyed would have been decreed and then they would not be given any respite they would not be given any extra time for repentance or an excuse as is God’s custom in dealing with those before them destroying them when they disbelieve after their request is granted.

They insolently say: If only an angel had been sent down to companion him - Muhammad- to confer on him dignity in an order of Prophethood! But if We had sent down an angel, then their Hereafter would have been planted in the now and their punishment would not have been put in respite

Censuring the Rebellious and their Refusal to Accept Human Messengers Allah describes the rebellion and stubbornness of the idolators in defying the truth and arguing against it, وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَـباً فِى قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ( And even if We had sent down unto you a Message written on paper so that they could touch it with their hands, ) meaning, if they saw this Message's descent and were eye- witnesses to that, لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( the disbelievers would have said: "This is nothing but obvious magic!" ) This is similar to Allah's description of the disbelievers' defiance of facts and truth, وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَاباً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّواْ فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ - لَقَالُواْ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَـرُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ ( And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending thereto.
They would surely say: "Our eyes have been (as if ) dazzled.
Nay, we are a people bewitched.") 15:14-15, and, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كِسْفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ سَـقِطاً يَقُولُواْ سَحَـبٌ مَّرْكُومٌ ( And if they were to see a piece of the heaven falling down, they would say, "Clouds gathered in heaps!" ) 52:44. وَقَالُواْ لَوْلا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ ( And they say: "Why has not an angel been sent down to him" ) to convey the Message with admonition along with him.
Allah replied, وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكاً لَّقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنظَرُونَ ( Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been judged at once, and no respite would be granted to them. ) Consequently, even if the angels descend, while the disbelievers still had the same attitude, then the torment will surely befall them from Allah as a consequence.
Allah said in other Ayat, مَا نُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُواْ إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ ( We send not the angels down except with the truth (i.e.
for torment, etc. ), and in that case, they ( the disbelievers ) would have no respite!) 15:8, and, يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ لاَ بُشْرَى يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ ( On the Day they will see the angels, no glad tidings will there be for the criminals that day. ) 25:22 Allah's statement, وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَـهُ مَلَكاً لَّجَعَلْنَـهُ رَجُلاً وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ ( And had We appointed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion. ) meaning, if We send an angel along with the human Messenger, or if We send an angel as a Messenger to mankind, he would be in the shape of a man so that they would be able to speak to him and benefit from his teachings.
In this case, the angel ( in the shape of a human ) will also cause confusion for them, just as the confusion they caused themselves over accepting humans as Messengers! Allah said, قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً ( Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger." ) 17:95 It is a mercy from Allah to His creation that He sends every type of creation, Messengers from among their kind, so that they are able to call their people to Allah, and their people able to talk to them, ask them and benefit from them.
In another Ayah, Allah said; لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ( Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses (the Qur'an ), and purifying them.) 3:164 Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah 6:9 above, "If an angel was sent to them, he would come in the shape of a man.
This is because they will not be able to look at the angel due to light." وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ ( ...
and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.
) meaning, We would confuse them over their confusion.
And Al-Walibi reported Ibn `Abbas saying; "We brought doubts around them." Allah's statement, وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ( And indeed Messengers were mocked before you, but their scoffers were surrounded by the very thing that they used to mock at. ) comforts the Messenger concerning the denial of him by his people.
The Ayah also promises the Messenger , and his believers, of Allah's victory and the good end in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah said next, قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ثُمَّ انْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ( Say: "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who rejected truth." ) meaning, contemplate about yourselves and think about the afflictions Allah struck the previous nations with, those who defied His Messengers and denied them.
Allah sent torment, afflictions and punishment on them in this life, as well as the painful torment in the Hereafter, while saving His Messengers and believing servants.

(6:8) They also say: 'Why has no angel been sent down to this Prophet?' *5 Had We sent down an angel, the matter would surely have long been decided and no respite would have been granted them. *6

And they say, "Why was there not meaning

*5).
The unbelievers were saying that if Muhammed ( peace be on him ) had indeed been endowed with prophethood, an angel should have been sent down from heaven to announce that he was the Messenger of God, and that that people would be punished if they did not follow his directives.
It was atonishing to these ignorant objectors that the Creator of the heavens and the earth should appoint someone as His Messenger and then leave him without protection against the physical hurts and insults that were flung at him.
They would have expected the envoy of a Sovereign as great as the Creator of the universe to be accomplied by at least some heavenly constable, if not a large retinue, to protect him!
*6).
The unbelievers' objection is refuted by this remark.
it warns them that the time available for accepting the true faith and bringing about the required reform in their lives will last only as long as Ultimate Reality remains concealed from human perception by the wheel of the Unseen.
Once that wheel is removed, there will be no more respite: the summons to God's rekoning will have come.
This earthly life is a test of whether a man is able to recognize the Ultimate Reality - even though it lies hidden from his sence perception - by the correct excecise of his reason and intelect and of whether, having once recognized it, he is able to behave in conformity with that Reality by exercising control over his animal self and its lusts.
This test necessarily requires that the Reality should remain concealed.
Thereafter man will be confronted with the result of the test rather than by any further test.
Until God has decided to bring the term of their test to a close, it is not possible to respond to such requests by sending angels to them in their true form.
( See also Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol.
I, Surah 2, n.228. )
 

Censuring the Rebellious and their Refusal to Accept Human Messengers Allah describes the rebellion and stubbornness of the idolators in defying the truth and arguing against it, وَلَوْ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ كِتَـباً فِى قِرْطَاسٍ فَلَمَسُوهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ( And even if We had sent down unto you a Message written on paper so that they could touch it with their hands, ) meaning, if they saw this Message's descent and were eye- witnesses to that, لَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ( the disbelievers would have said: "This is nothing but obvious magic!" ) This is similar to Allah's description of the disbelievers' defiance of facts and truth, وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَاباً مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ فَظَلُّواْ فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ - لَقَالُواْ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَـرُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَّسْحُورُونَ ( And even if We opened to them a gate from the heaven and they were to continue ascending thereto.
They would surely say: "Our eyes have been (as if ) dazzled.
Nay, we are a people bewitched.") 15:14-15, and, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كِسْفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ سَـقِطاً يَقُولُواْ سَحَـبٌ مَّرْكُومٌ ( And if they were to see a piece of the heaven falling down, they would say, "Clouds gathered in heaps!" ) 52:44. وَقَالُواْ لَوْلا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ ( And they say: "Why has not an angel been sent down to him" ) to convey the Message with admonition along with him.
Allah replied, وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكاً لَّقُضِىَ الاٌّمْرُ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنظَرُونَ ( Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been judged at once, and no respite would be granted to them. ) Consequently, even if the angels descend, while the disbelievers still had the same attitude, then the torment will surely befall them from Allah as a consequence.
Allah said in other Ayat, مَا نُنَزِّلُ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُواْ إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ ( We send not the angels down except with the truth (i.e.
for torment, etc. ), and in that case, they ( the disbelievers ) would have no respite!) 15:8, and, يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ الْمَلَـئِكَةَ لاَ بُشْرَى يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ ( On the Day they will see the angels, no glad tidings will there be for the criminals that day. ) 25:22 Allah's statement, وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَـهُ مَلَكاً لَّجَعَلْنَـهُ رَجُلاً وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ ( And had We appointed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion. ) meaning, if We send an angel along with the human Messenger, or if We send an angel as a Messenger to mankind, he would be in the shape of a man so that they would be able to speak to him and benefit from his teachings.
In this case, the angel ( in the shape of a human ) will also cause confusion for them, just as the confusion they caused themselves over accepting humans as Messengers! Allah said, قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً ( Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger." ) 17:95 It is a mercy from Allah to His creation that He sends every type of creation, Messengers from among their kind, so that they are able to call their people to Allah, and their people able to talk to them, ask them and benefit from them.
In another Ayah, Allah said; لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ( Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses (the Qur'an ), and purifying them.) 3:164 Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah 6:9 above, "If an angel was sent to them, he would come in the shape of a man.
This is because they will not be able to look at the angel due to light." وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ ( ...
and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.
) meaning, We would confuse them over their confusion.
And Al-Walibi reported Ibn `Abbas saying; "We brought doubts around them." Allah's statement, وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُمْ مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ( And indeed Messengers were mocked before you, but their scoffers were surrounded by the very thing that they used to mock at. ) comforts the Messenger concerning the denial of him by his people.
The Ayah also promises the Messenger , and his believers, of Allah's victory and the good end in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah said next, قُلْ سِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ ثُمَّ انْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ( Say: "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who rejected truth." ) meaning, contemplate about yourselves and think about the afflictions Allah struck the previous nations with, those who defied His Messengers and denied them.
Allah sent torment, afflictions and punishment on them in this life, as well as the painful torment in the Hereafter, while saving His Messengers and believing servants.

( They say ) i.e. ’Abdullah Ibn Umayyah al-Makhzumi: ( Why hath not an angel been sent down unto him? ) to testify for what he is saying. ( If We sent down an angel ) as they are asking you, ( then the matter would be judged ) he would come down to punish them and take away their souls; it is also said that this means: if the angel comes down, he would destroy all of them; ( no further time would be allowed them (for reflection )) they would not be allowed any delay.

And they say: "Why has not an angel been sent down to him?" Had We sent down an angel, the matter would have been judged at once, and no respite would be granted to them.

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