Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Al-An'aam, Ayah 124
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
And when a sign of the truth of the Prophet s comes to them the people of Mecca they say ‘We will not believe in him until we are given the like of what God’s messengers were given’ in the way of a message and inspiration to us because we are wealthier and more senior in years. God exalted be He says God knows best where to place His Message read plural risālātihi ‘His Messages’ or singular risālatahu ‘His Message’; hayth ‘where’ constitutes the direct object because of the verb ya‘lam ‘He knows’ implicit in a‘lam ‘the best knower’ that is to say He knows the right place for it to be placed in and He thus places it there — these people however are not worthy of it. Humiliation from God and a terrible chastisement shall smite those who have sinned by saying this for their plotting.
Ibn Abbas Commentary
(And when a token cometh unto them) when a verse comes down from heaven informing of what al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah, 'Abd Yalayl and Abu Mas'ud al-Thaqafi were doing, (they say: We will not believe) in this verse (till we are given) the Scripture like (that which Allah's messengers are given) meaning Muhammad (pbuh). (Allah knoweth best with whom to place His message) He knows best to whom He sends Gabriel with His message. (Humiliation) degradation and abasement (from Allah and heavy punishment will smite the guilty) the idolaters, i.e. al-Walid and his friends (for their scheming) for their denial of the messengers.