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17:90 - They say: "We shall not believe in thee until thou cause spring to gush forth for us from the
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2:60 - And remember Moses prayed for water for his people; We said: "Strike the rock with thy
staff." Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each group knew its own place for water.
So eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah and do no evil nor mischief on the (face
of the) earth. 73
17:91 - "Or (until) thou have a garden of date trees and vines and cause rivers to gush forth in their
midst carrying abundant water; 2293
2293 This ill-assorted and crude jumble of the sort of miracles which the Unbelievers wanted is in very appropriate contrast
to the sober and reasoned argument which has begun in the last sentence of verse 93 and continued in sections 11
and 12, which close this Sura. It is throughout reminiscent of the materialistic imagination of Jewish sceptics, which
was mainly responsible for the fall of the Jewish nation (see verse 104 below). For a thirsty people sojourning in a dry
land, the finding of a spring of water as in the story of Moses or of the well of Zamzam is an appropriate miracle. But
miracles are not for faithless crowds to gape at. A beautiful well-watered Garden is a symbol of Felicity: but a sceptic
cannot order Allah to produce it for his pleasure. The same may be said about a house adorned with gold, except that
its symbolism is even more materialistic. The fall of the sky or producing Allah face to face or climbing to the skies by
a ladder, or bringing down a book of parchment which men could handle, are all irreverent suggestions that make no
distinction between spiritual and material things. (17.91)
17:92 - "Or thou cause the sky to fall in pieces as thou sayest (will happen) against us; or thou bring
Allah and the angels before (us) face to face; 22942295
2294 Contrast the sublime passages like the beginning with lxxxii. 1 or that in xxv. 25, where the final breaking up of the
firmaments as we know them is referred to in the world's catastrophe, with the ridiculous demand that it should be
done for the sport of the sceptics! (17.92)
2295 Cf. ii 55 and iv. 153 about the desire of the Israelites to see Allah face to face; and vi. 8-9, about angels coming down
to convince men. (17.92)
17:93 - "Or thou have a house adorned with gold or thou mount a ladder right into the skies. No we
shall not even believe in thy mounting until thou send down to us a book that we could read."
Say: "Glory to my Lord! am I aught but a man an apostle?" 229622972298
2296 Cf. vi. 35 about a ladder to the skies. (17.93)
2297 Cf. vi. 7 for the foolish idea of materialistic sceptics that a spiritual revelation could come down from the heavens on a
piece of parchment that they can touch. (17.93)
2298 A prophet or messenger of Allah is a man at the command of Allah, and not to satisfy the disingenuous whims and
fancies of Unbelievers. Miracles greater than any that their foolish fancies could devise were before them. The Qur-an
was such a miracle, and it is a standing miracle that lasts through the ages. Why did they not believe? The real reason
was spite and jealousy like that of Iblis. See next verse. (17.93)
6:35 - If their spurning is hard on thy mind yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a
ladder to the skies and bring them a Sign (what good?). If it were Allah's will He could gather
them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by
ignorance (and impatience)! 856
856 There were many signs of a divine Mission in the Apostle's life and in the Message which he delivered. If these did not
convince the Unbelievers, was it not vain to seek a miraculous Sign from the bowels ofthe earth or by a visible ascent
to the skies? If in the Apostle's eagerness to get all to accept his Mesage he was hurt at their callousness, active
opposition, and persecution of him, he is told that a full knowledge of the working of God`s Plan would convince him
that impatience was misplaced. This was in the days of persecution before the Hijrat. The history in Medina and
shows how Allah's truth was ultimately and triumphantly vindicated. Who among the sincere devotees of Muhammad
can fail to read vi. 33-35 without tears in his eyes? (6.35)
2:55 - And remember ye said: "O Moses! we shall never believe in thee until we see Allah
manifestly" but ye were dazed with thunder and lightning even as ye looked on. 70
70 We have hitherto had instances from the Jewish traditional Taurat (or Pentateuch). Now we have some instances
from Jewish traditions in the Talmud, or body of exposition in the Jewish theological schools. They are based on the
Jewish scriptures, but add many marvellous details and homilies. As to seeing God, we have in Exod. xxxiii 20: "And
He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live." The punishment for insisting on seeing
God was therefore death; but those who rejected faith were forgiven, and yet they were ungrateful. (2.55)
4:153 - The people of the Book ask thee to cause a book to descend to them from heaven: indeed
they asked Moses for an even greater (miracle) for they said: "Show us Allah in public" but
they were dazed for their presumption with thunder and lightning. Yet they worshipped the
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