Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 51

(Ayah 51) ➊ {اَوَ لَمْ يَكْفِهِمْ اَنَّاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتٰبَ …:} He said, these people ask for a sign, is it not enough of a sign for them that We have sent down to you this magnificent Book, while you were unlettered (illiterate)? Is it not a sufficient miracle that such a great Book was revealed to an unlettered person, a Book whose single surah the whole world is unable to produce the like of? The meaning is that if you wish to accept guidance, the Noble Qur’an itself is a sufficient miracle for this purpose; to demand further signs in its presence is mere stubbornness. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ نَبِيٌّ إِلاَّ أُعْطِيَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ مَا مِثْلُهُ أُوْمِنَ ، أَوْ آمَنَ عَلَيْهِ الْبَشَرُ وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ الَّذِيْ أُوْتِيْتُهُ وَحْيًا أَوْحَاهُ اللّٰهُ إِلَيَّ فَأَرْجُوْ أَنِّيْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ تَابِعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [بخاري، الاعتصام بالکتاب و السنۃ، باب قول النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم بعثت بحوامع الکلم : ۷۲۷۴ ] “Among the Prophets, every Prophet was given such signs from among the signs that people would believe in him because of them, and the sign that has been given to me is only the Revelation which Allah has revealed to me. Therefore, I hope that on the Day of Resurrection, my followers will be more than all of them.”

➋ { يُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ:} This Book is being recited before them everywhere and at all times, meaning it is not such that this miracle is hidden from them or at any time out of their sight. Whereas the miracles of previous Prophets were not always before them. The staff of Musa became a serpent, but only a few times, not always.

➌ { اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَرَحْمَةً وَّ ذِكْرٰى لِقَوْمٍ يُّؤْمِنُوْنَ:} In this, two characteristics of the miracle (the Noble Qur’an) granted to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are mentioned, which were not present in the miracles of previous Prophets. The first is that the miracles of previous Prophets became a cause of punishment for their nations, because the truth was unveiled before them in such a way that when they did not believe after seeing with their own eyes, Allah’s punishment wiped them out completely. In contrast, the miracle (the Noble Qur’an) granted to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is an absolute mercy for mankind, because even those who do not accept it are given respite, and punishment does not come upon them immediately. This is the meaning of {’’ اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَرَحْمَةً ‘‘}. The second characteristic is that the miracles of previous Prophets departed from the world along with them, whereas the Noble Qur’an will remain as an admonition and reminder for the believers until the Day of Resurrection. This is the meaning of {’’ ذِكْرٰى ‘‘}.

51-1. That is, they demand signs. Is the Quran, which We have revealed to you, not sufficient for them as a sign, and regarding which they have been challenged to bring forth a Quran like it or to present even a single surah? When, despite the miraculous nature of the Quran, they do not believe in it, then even if miracles are shown to them like those shown to Musa and Isa (علیہما السلام), what faith will they bring upon that?

51-2. That is, for those people who affirm that this Quran has come from Allah, because only they benefit and receive blessings from it.

51. Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you this Book which is recited to them? Surely in it is mercy and a reminder for people who believe. [83]

[83]
The Quran is a Living and Everlasting Miracle:

That is, all the miracles that were granted to the previous prophets were temporary and transient; some people witnessed them, while others did not, and today all of them have come to an end. But this Quran is such a living and everlasting miracle, whose miraculous nature you yourselves acknowledge. Then what other miracle do you desire? Furthermore, this book is a special mercy from Allah for everyone in that it provides you with precise guidance in every aspect of your life.

After Your Prophethood, Only the Quran is the Book of Guidance:

In terms of the context of the subject, the addressees of this verse are the disbelievers, and its meaning is the same as mentioned above. However, Muslims are also addressed by it. For them too, in the presence of this book, there is no need for any other book of guidance, even if it is a previous heavenly book. Thus, Hazrat Jabir ؓ narrates that once Hazrat Umar ؓ brought some pages of the Torah to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and began to read them. The Prophet’s face was changing. Seeing this situation, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ said to Hazrat Umar ؓ, “Do you not see the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” Hazrat Umar ؓ looked at the Prophet ﷺ and said, “I seek refuge in Allah from the anger of Allah and His Messenger. We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with you ﷺ as our Prophet.” At this, the Prophet’s ﷺ anger subsided, and he ﷺ said: “By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad ﷺ, if Musa were to appear today and you were to follow him, leaving me, you would surely go astray. And if Musa were alive today and found the time of my prophethood, he would have no choice but to follow me.” [مشکوۃ۔ کتاب الایمان۔ باب الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنة۔ الفصل الثالث]