The Messengers of Allah are Human Beings
The disbelievers found no convincing proof or acceptable justification for their disbelief in the Oneness of Allah and stubbornness. Therefore, they resorted to find suspicions and pretexts to justify their position. One of their suspicions was their claim that the messenger of Allah could not be a human being; rather, he should be an angel. Such a claim is illogical because the most important condition of a messenger, who conveys a message, is that he enjoys the same nature of those whom he is sent to, so that they can understand his speech and do not feel estranged from him. The following ayat discuss this suspicion and refute it.
(Nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them, but that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?’
Say, ‘Had there been angels on earth, walking securely, We would certainly have sent them an angel from the heaven as a Messenger?’
Say, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you. Indeed, He is ever All-aware of, and perfectly sees His slaves.’)
[Quran Surah al-Isra :94-96]
Relationship with the Previous Part
The previous part mentioned the impossible suggestions of the disbelievers. Then Allah mentions one of their suspicions. The disbelievers believed that it was unacceptable that Allah should send a human being as His Messenger. They believed that if Allah should send a messenger, he should be an angel. The following ayat refute this suspicion.
Tafsir
(Nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them, but that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?’) [94]
Nothing has prevented the disbelievers from obeying Allah’s messengers when they invited them to believe in the Oneness of Allah and follow the path of guidance, but their conviction that Allah would not send a human being as a messenger. They believed that the messenger of Allah should be an angel.
The belief of the disbelievers had no supporting foundation, nor evidence. They did not discern their value as honored human beings before Allah because of their corrupt understanding. Allah chose to send a human messenger, so that they could understand his language and easily communicate with him.
Say, ‘Had there been angels on earth, walking securely, We would certainly have sent them an angel from the heaven as a Messenger?’ [95]
Allah commanded Messenger Muhammad to respond to the disbelievers’ suspicion.
O Muhammad! Tell the disbelievers that had there been angels, who settle and walk safely on the earth, just as human beings do, Allah would certainly have sent them an angel as a messenger from the heaven.
If such an assumption is true, Allah, out of His wisdom, would have sent an angel as a messenger, who could speak the disbelievers’ language and they could understand him.
It is logical that things of the same nature incline to each other. Thus, if the messenger is a human being, he should be sent to human beings like him. Likewise, if the messenger is an angel, he should be sent to angles like him.
Then Allah commanded Messenger Muhammad to decisively conclude the argumentation with them, and leave judgment on the disagreement between him and them to Him alone. Indeed, Allah is the best judge.
(Say, ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you. Indeed, He is ever All-aware of, and perfectly sees His slaves.’) [96]
O Messenger! Tell the disbelievers that your claim that the messenger should be an angel is mere stubbornness. Indeed, Allah is sufficient as a witness between you and me. If I were a liar, He would severely punish me.
Verily, Allah is the best judge. He knows best about His slaves and nothing of their affairs is hidden from Him. He knows who deserves to be guided the right path and who deserve to be misguided.
The ayah is a consolation to Messenger Muhammad for the abuse and oppression he suffered from the disbelievers.
Learned Lessons
• The disbelievers of Mecca were stubborn. They believed that they must not follow Messenger Muhammad since he was a human being like them. They believed that the messenger of Allah should be an angel.
• Logical and sound understanding necessitates that if the messenger is an angel, he should be sent to angels like him in order to communicate with them easily. Likewise, if the messenger is a human being, he should be sent to human beings like him in order to communicate with them easily.
• Allah is a sufficient judge. He fully knows about all creatures, and nothing of their affairs and circumstances are hidden from Him.
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