6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقَالُواْ لَوْلا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ ...

6: 8. They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to him?"

... وَلَوْ أَنزَلْنَا مَلَكًا لَّقُضِيَ الأمْرُ ثُمَّ لاَ يُنظَرُونَ ﴿٨﴾

If We did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted them.

C841. Cf. 2::210.

An angel is a heavenly being, a manifestation of Allah's glory, invisible to men who live gross material lives; Such men are given plenty of respite in which to turn in repentance to Allah and make themselves worthy of His light.

But if their prayer to see an angel were grated, it would do them no good, for thy would be destroyed as darkness is destroyed by light.

وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ مَلَكًا لَّجَعَلْنَاهُ رَجُلاً وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ ﴿٩﴾

6: 9. If We had made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

C842. Supposing an angel should appear to their grosser senses, he could only do it in human form. In that case their present confused notions about spiritual life would be still more confounded.

They would say: "We wanted to see an angel, and we have only seen a man!"

Other versions:

6: 8

Asad …..But had We sent down an angel, all would indeed have been decided [note6], and they would have been allowed no further respite.

Yusuf Ali They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to him?" If We did send down an angel the matter would be settled at once and no respite would be granted them.

Pickthall They say: Why hath not an angel been sent down unto him? If We sent down an angel, then the matter would be judged; no further time would be allowed them (for reflection).

Transliteration Wa qa_lu_ lau la_ unzila 'alaihi malak(un), wa lau anzalna_ malakal laqudiyal amru summa la_ yunzaru_n(a).

[[ Ruby’s Comment - Faith is believing and accepting as truth things that are beyond human perception. If the proof of God has to be given to people in order to convince them in spite of all the evidences and signs written in reality God would not give people any more time for the test in this life- the test becomes useless and invalid.

Our test is in applying the faculty of reason and wisdom God has given us [see 30:30 “fitra”] in sending truth and in discerning right from wrong. Faith is an outcome of an effective and successful use of that faculty and/or capacity. Our primordial nature that God has created in each and every human being should help achieve it if one remains true to his/her nature and that is possible only with God’s guidance. Therefore there are two factors here: one within oneself the other is God’s guidance. God has given us a bigger capacity than the capacity of physical senses and that is the capacity of reason that is imbued in our true nature.

Instead if one demands proof of God’s existence in terms of physical senses such seeing a miracle then that is not faith and no more time would be given for the test of how effectively and how well one uses his/her true nature and the faculty of reason.]]

6: 9

Asad And [even] if We had appointed an angel as Our message-bearer [note 7], We would certainly have made him [appear as] a man – and thus We would only have confused them in the same way as they are now confusing themselves [note 8].

Yusuf Ali If We had made it an angel We should have sent him as a man and We should certainly have caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

Pickthall Had We appointed an angel (Our messenger), We assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure.

Transliteration Wa lau ja'alna_hu malakal laja'alna_hu rajulaw wa lalabasna_ 'alaihim ma_ yalbisu_n(a).

[[ Asad’s note – 6…..see so,o;ar [assage in 2:210]]

[[ Ruby’s note – This is the essence of the Message: If God would have sent an Angel as His proof He would have made it consistent with the natural reality we are in. Indicating that there could be such proofs laying in the reality that looks perfectly normal yet extra-ordinary, all the signs and happening of reality are due to God’s mercy and constant interception and involvement, that is the biggest proof we should see in us, around us and beyond us.]]