Surah Anam ayat 9 Tafsir Quran 6:9

﴿وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ مَلَكًا لَّجَعَلْنَاهُ رَجُلًا وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ﴾
[ الأنعام: 9]

6:9 And if We had made him an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves.

And had We appointed him the one who is sent down to them an angel We would assuredly have made him the angel a man that is We would have sent him in the form of a man so that they would be able to see him since no human being is capable of seeing an angel; and had We sent him down and made him a man We would have assuredly confused obscured for them what they are confusing for themselves when they say ‘This is but a mere mortal like the rest of you’.

And if We had sent an angel as a Messenger or to companion Our human Messenger, We would have disguised him as a man, and there one disorder would be aggravated by another; they would not believe in him either, and a fallacious mode of reasoning would be created more than ever; they would not know whether to use the premise to prove the conclusion or to use the conclusion to prove the premise - a vicious circle

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.

(6:9) Had We appointed an angel, We would have sent him down in the form of a man - and thus We would have caused them the same doubt which they now entertain. *7

And if We had made him an meaning

*7).
This is the second point in response to the unbelievers' objection.
One possible form in which the angel could have appeared is in its true, non-terrestrial form.
It has already been pointed out that the time for this has not arrived.
Alternatively, angels could have come down in human form.
But this would have left the unbelievers facing the same difficulty as they faced with regard to whether the Prophet Muhammad ( peace be on him ) had been designated by God or not.

 

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.

( Had We appointed an angel ) as Our messenger, ( We assuredly had made him (as ) a man) in the form of a man such that they are able to look at him; ( and (thus ) obscured for them) the real form of the angel ( (as ) they ( now ) obscure) the traits and description of Muhammad.

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 (i.e. the Message of Prophet Muhammad SAW).

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