Al-Israa 17:94

"And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allāh sent a human messenger?""

The refusal of the Idolators to believe because the Messenger was a Human -- and its refutation

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ

(And nothing prevented men) means, most of them,

أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ

(from believing) and following the Messengers, except the fact that they found it strange that human beings would be sent as Messengers, as Allah says:

أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

(Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our revelation to a man from among themselves (saying): "Warn mankind, and give good news to those who believe that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds") 10:2 And Allah says:

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَت تَّأْتِيهِمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ فَقَالُواْ أَبَشَرٌ يَهْدُونَنَا

(That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they said: "Shall mere men guide us") 64:6 Fira`wn and his people said:

أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَـبِدُونَ

(They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility!") 23: 47 Similarly, the nations said to their Messengers:

إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَـنٍ مُّبِينٍ

("You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority") 14:10 And there are many other similar Ayat. Then Allah says, pointing out His kindness and mercy towards His servants, that He sends to them Messengers of their own kind so that they will understand what he says and will be able to speak to him directly. If He sent to mankind a Messenger from among the angels, they would not be able to deal with him face to face and learn from him, as Allah says:

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ

(Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves) 3:164

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ

(Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves) 10:128

كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْكُمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَـتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْلَمُونَ - فَاذْكُرُونِى أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ

(Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our verses (the Qur'an) and purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah, and teaching you that which you used not to know. Therefore remember Me. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me.) (2:151-152) Allah says here:

قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ

(Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security,) meaning, just as you do,

لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً

(We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger). meaning, `one of their own kind. But as you are human, We have sent to you Messengers from yourselves, as a kindness and a mercy.'

Мекканские многобожники говорили Пророку Мухаммаду, который явился к ним со Священным Кораном, содержащим все необходимые доказательства и знамения: «Мы обратимся в твою религию только тогда, когда ты исторгнешь для нас из земли источник, который превратится в журчащий ручей. А еще у тебя должен быть прекрасный сад с финиковыми пальмами и виноградником, дабы ты ни в чем не нуждался и не ходил по рынкам. А еще ты должен обрушить на нас кусок неба, чтобы показать нам, каким будет обещанное тобой наказание. А еще ты должен показать нам Аллаха и ангелов, которые подтвердят правдивость твоего учения. А еще ты должен иметь дворец из золота и других драгоценностей. А еще ты должен показать нам, как ты восходишь на небо. Но даже если ты выполнишь наше требование, мы все равно не поверим, что ты сумел взойти на небо, пока не принесешь нам писание, которое мы согласимся прочесть». Этими словами глупые и несправедливые неверующие пытались изобличить бессилие Пророка Мухаммада, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует. Из этих слов можно понять, что они отвергали истину и не желали проявлять уважение к Аллаху. И поэтому Аллах повелел Своему посланнику, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, который должен был показывать людям Божьи знамения, сказать: «Пречист Аллах! Он не имеет ничего общего с тем, что вы измышляете! Он бесконечно далек от того, чтобы ниспосылать знамения в угоду вашим порочным желаниям и заблудшим воззрениям! А я - всего лишь простой человек и посланник, не наделенный никакой властью».

Only a human being can be a messenger of Allah: Angels cannot be sent as messengers to human beings

Common disbelievers and polytheists thought that 'bashar,' that is, a man, could not be the messenger of Allah because he is someone accustomed to all human compulsions like them. When so, what edge did he have over them to make them call him the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and take him as their leader claiming that they follow him? This assumption of theirs has been answered in the Holy Qur'an, at several places in various ways. The outcome of the answer given here in this verse: مَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ (And nothing prevented people - 94) is that a messenger of Allah sent to a set of people has to be from their genus or race. If these people are human, the messenger should be human because mutual congruity does not exist between one genus and the other - and without congruity, guidance and grooming bring no benefit. Had some angel been sent to men as their messenger, he would have known no hunger, or thirst, or sexual de-sires, nor would he have felt the effect of chill and heat, nor fatigue after hard work. He would have, then, expected human beings to act like him without having ever realized their weaknesses and limitations. Similarly, when human beings knew that he was an angel, after all, they would have come to the conclusion that they just did not have the ability to do what he did. Who would have, then, followed him? Following is the fruit of correction, reform and right guidance. This benefit can be hoped for only when the messenger of Allah is from the genus of men. He should be an embodiment of human emotions and physical desires while, at the same time, he should also have an angelic majesty that could serve as a liaison - intermediary communicator - between human beings and angels, receiving revelation from angels bringing it and communicating it to his fellow human beings.

This submission also removes the doubt that arises by thinking: when human beings cannot derive benefit from the angel, how would a messenger - despite being human - derive the benefit of revelation from them?

As for the doubt - when the compatibility of genus is a condition between a messenger and his people, how was the Holy Prophet ﷺ made a messenger of the jinns for they are not from the same genus as men? - it can be answered by saying that the messenger is not simply a human being, instead, he also has an angelic majesty about him because of which jinns too could also be congruous to him.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

The refusal of the Idolators to believe because the Messenger was a Human -- and its refutation