40. Surah Ghafir (Forgiving) or al Mumin, Mecca 60

The Quranic Text & Ali’s translation:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُم...

40: 78. We did aforetime send messengers before thee:

... مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ...

of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and some whose story We have not related to thee.

... وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِآيَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ...

It was not (possible) for any messenger to bring a Sign except by the leave of God:

... فَإِذَا جَاء أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قُضِيَ بِالْحَقِّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ ﴿٧٨﴾

but when the Command of God issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and there perished, there and then, those who stood on Falsehoods.

Asad’s translation:

40:78 And, indeed, [O Muhammad,] We sent forth apostles before thy time; some of them We have mentioned to thee, 57 and some of them We have not mentioned to thee. And it was not given to any apostle to bring forth a miracle other than by God's leave. 58

Yet when God's will becomes rqanifest, 59 judgment will [already] have been passed in all justice, and lost will be, then and there, all who tried to reduce to pothing [whatever they could not understand]."

***************************************

Asad’s comments:

57 I.e., in the Qur'an.

58 See 6:109 - "Miracles are in the power of God alone" - and the corresponding note 94. Both passages (6:109 and the present one) relate to the futile demand of Muhammad's opponents to be shown a miracle in proof of the divine origin of the Qur'an - the implication being that it is not God's will to convince the deniers of the truth by means of what is commonly regarded as "miracles".

Ali’s comments:

4454. Cf. 4:164.

Allah sent Messengers of His Truth to every people. There are some whose names are known to us through the Holy Quran, but there are a large number whose names are not made known to us through that medium. We must recognise the Truth wherever we find it.

4455. The Signs of Allah are everywhere, and can be seen by the discerning eye at all times. But if any extraordinary Signs are demanded by cynics or Unbelievers, they will not be granted merely because they are demanded.

It is Allah's Will that issues them, not merely the desire of human beings, even if he be a Messenger of Allah.

But when an extraordinary Sign does issue by the Command of Allah, it means that the cup of the iniquitous is full; that their case is decided, and their time of respite is past; and that Justice takes the place of Mercy, and evil is blotted out.