Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 59

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Nothing made us refrain from sending the signs (demanded by the pagans,) except that the earlier people had rejected them. (For example,) We gave Thamūd the she-camel, as an eye-opener, then they did wrong to her, and We do not send signs but as a warning.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Nothing keeps Us from sending the ˹demanded˺ signs except that they had ˹already˺ been denied by earlier peoples. And We gave Thamûd the she-camel as a clear sign, but they wrongfully rejected it.[[ Or they did wrong by it. ]] We only send the signs as a warning.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Nothing prevents Us from sending signs except that the earlier people denied them. We gave Thamūd the she-camel as a clear sign, but they wrongfully rejected her. We do not send signs except as a warning.

A. J. Arberry

Naught prevented Us from sending the signs but that the ancients cried lies to them; and We brought Thamood the She-camel visible, but they did her wrong. And We do not send the signs, except to frighten.

Abdul Haleem

Nothing prevents Us from sending miraculous signs, except the fact that previous peoples denied them. We gave the people of Thamud the she-camel as a clear sign, yet they maltreated it. We send signs only to give warning.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And naught hinderedeth Us from sending the signs except that the ancients belied them. And We vouchsafed unto Thamud a she-camel as an illumination, but they did her wrong. And We send not the signs save to frighten.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And We refrain from sending the signs, only because the men of former generations treated them as false; We sent the she-camel to the Thamud to open their eyes, but they treated her wrongfully; We only send the Signs by way of terror (and warning from evil).

Abul Ala Maududi

Nothing hindered Us from sending Our Signs except that the people of olden times rejected them as lies. We publicly sent the she-camel to the Thamud to open their eyes but they wronged her. We never send Our Signs except to cause people to fear.

Ahmed Ali

Nothing could stop Us from sending signs except that the earlier people had rejected them as lies. We sent to Thamud the she-camel as a token to make it clear to them, but they treated her cruelly; and We send signs only to deter.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And We remained constrained from sending such signs, because the former people denied them; and We gave the Thamud the she-camel for enlightenment, so they oppressed it; and We do not send such signs except to warn.

Ali Quli Qarai

Nothing keeps Us from sending signs except that the former peoples denied them. We gave Thamud the she-camel as an eye-opener, but they wronged her. We do not send the signs except as warning.

Ali Ünal

Nothing stops Us from sending the miracles (they demand as evidence in support of the Messenger’s claim to be appointed by God) except that (many among the) former generations rejected them as false (and were destroyed). We had given the Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign (miracle) but they did wrong in respect of her. We do not send such signs except to warn (and to make them aware of possible destruction).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And nothing could prevent Us from going on sending (Our) signs though the former people cried lies to them. And We gave to Thamûd the she-camel as an enlightenment and an eye opener, but they dealt with her unjustly. And We do not send (Our) signs except to warn the people (against the evil consequences of disbelief and transgression).

English Literal

And nothing prevented/prohibited us that (E) We send with the verses/evidences except that the first/beginners lied/denied/falsified with it, and We gave/brought Thamud the (F) camel manifest/clearly visible to the eye and understanding/clear evidence , so they caused injustice with it, and We do not sent with the verses/evidences/signs except frightening.

Faridul Haque

And We remained constrained from sending such signs, because the former people denied them; and We gave the Thamud the she-camel for enlightenment, so they oppressed it; and We do not send such signs except to warn.

Hamid S. Aziz

Naught hindered us from sending you with signs, save that those of yore denied them; so We gave Thamud the visible she-camel, but they treated her wrongfully (or ignorantly) and We send not (or any one with) signs save to warn.

Hilali & Khan

And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat (proofs, evidences, signs) but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to warn, and to make them afraid (of destruction).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And there is not a town but We will destroy it before the day of Resurrection or chastise it with a severe chastisement. That is written in the Book.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And nothing could have hindered Us that We should send signs except that the ancients rejected them; and We gave to Samood the she-camel-- a manifest sign-- but on her account they did injustice, and We do not send signs but to make (men) fear.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Naught hindereth Us from sending portents save that the folk of old denied them. And We gave Thamud the she-camel - a clear portent save to warn.

Muhammad Sarwar

We did not abstain from sending miracles to any of Our Messengers. These miracles were called lies by the people who lived in ancient times. To the people of Thamud, We sent the she-camel as a visible miracle and they did injustice to it. We only send miracles as warnings.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Nothing prevented Us from sending the signs but that the ancients belied them. To Thamood, We brought the shecamel as a visible (sign), yet they wronged her. We do not send signs except to frighten.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to make them afraid (of destruction).

Wahiduddin Khan

Nothing has prevented Us from sending signs, except the fact that previous peoples denied them. We gave the people of Thamud the she-camel as a clear sign, yet they mistreated her. We give signs only by way of warning.

Talal Itani

Nothing prevents Us from sending miraculous signs, except that the ancients called them lies. We gave Thamood the she-camel, a visible sign, but they mistreated her. We do not send the signs except to instill reverence.

Tafsir jalalayn

Nothing prevented Us from sending the signs, requested by the people of Mecca, except that the ancients denied them, when We sent such [signs] and so We destroyed them; if We were to send them to these [people of Mecca], they would deny them and would thus deserve destruction. However, We have judged that they be given respite so that the mission of Muhammad (s) be completed. And We gave Thamd the she-camel as, a sign [that was], apparent, [one that was] clear and evident, but they wronged, they disbelieved, it, and were therefore destroyed. And We do not send signs, miracles, except for deterrence, to servants, so that they might believe.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Reason why Allah did not send Signs or Miracles

Allah said,

وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالايَاتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الَاوَّلُونَ وَاتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالايَاتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا



And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. And We sent the she-camel to Thamud as a clear sign, but they did her wrong. And We sent not the signs except to make them afraid (of destruction).

Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"The idolators said;`O Muhammad, you claim that before you there were Prophets, among whom was one to whom the wind was subjugated, and another who could bring the dead back to life. If you want us to believe in you, ask your Lord to turn As-Safa' into gold for us.'

Allah conveyed to him by inspiration (Wahy);

`I have heard what they have said. If you wish, I will do what they say, but if they do not believe after that, the punishment will come down upon them, because after the sign has been sent, there is no room for speculation. Or if you wish, I will be patient with your people and give them more time.'

He said;

يَارَبِّ اسْتَأْنِ بِهِم

O Lord, give them more time."

This was also narrated by Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj and others.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"The people of Makkah asked the Prophet to turn As-Safa' into gold for them, and to remove the mountains (from around Makkah) so that they could cultivate the land.

It was said to him (by Allah);`If you wish, I will be patient and give them more time, or if you wish, I will do what they are asking, but if they then disbelieve, they will be destroyed as the nations before them were destroyed.'

He said,

لَاا بَلِ اسْتَأْنِ بِهِم

No, be patient and give them more time.

Then Allah revealed;

وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالايَاتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الَاوَّلُونَ

And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them.

An-Nasa'i also reported this from the Hadith of Jarir.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said;

The Quraysh said to the Prophet, "Ask your Lord to turn As-Safa' into gold and we will believe in you."

He said,
وَتَفْعَلُونَ
(Will you really do that)?

They said, "Yes."

So he asked his Lord, and Jibril came to him and said;

"Your Lord conveys His Salam to you and says, `If you wish, I will turn As-Safa' into gold for them, then whoever of them disbelieves after that, will be punished with a torment the like of which has never be seen in creation; or if you wish, I will open the gates of repentance and mercy for them."'

He said,

بَلْ بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ وَالرَّحْمَة

Rather the gates of repentance and mercy.

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالايَاتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفًا

And We sent not the signs except to make them afraid (of destruction).

Qatadah said,

"Allah makes people afraid with whatever signs He wills, so that they may learn a lesson and remember and return to Him.

We were told that Al-Kufah was shaken at the time of Ibn Mas`ud, who said;`O people, your Lord is rebuking you, so pay heed!"'

Similarly, it was reported that Al-Madinah was struck by several earthquakes at the time of Umar bin Al-Khattab.

Umar said;"You have changed, by Allah, and if such a quake were to strike again, I will subject you to such and such."

The Prophet said, in a Hadith whose authenticity is agreed upon;

إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ ايَتَانِ مِنْ ايَاتِ اللهِ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَا يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلَا لِحَيَاتِهِ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُخَوِّفُ بِهِمَا عِبَادَهُ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَافْزَعُوا إِلَى ذِكْرِهِ وَدُعَايِهِ وَاسْتِغْفَارِهِ

ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاللهِ مَا أَحَدٌ أَغْيَرَ مِنَ اللهِ أَنْ يَزْنِيَ عَبْدُهُ أَوْ تَزْنِيَ أَمَتُهُ

يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاللهِ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أَعْلَمُ لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلًا وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا

The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah, and they are not eclipsed for the death or life of anyone. Allah uses them to make His servants afraid, so if you see them, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness.

Then he said;

O Ummah of Muhammad, by Allah, no one has a greater sense of jealousy than Allah if He sees His servant, or female servant, committing Zina (illegal sexual intercourse).

O Ummah of Muhammad, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much