سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 93
أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَـٰبًا نَّقْرَؤُهُۥ ۗ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا ﴿93﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Or you have a house of Zukhruf (like silver and pure gold), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a Book that we would read." Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Glorified (and Exalted) be my Lord [(Allâh) above all that evil they (polytheists) associate with Him]! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوْ
aw
Or
يَكُونَ
yakūna
is
لَكَ
laka
for you
بَيْتٌۭ
baytun
a house
مِّن
min
of
زُخْرُفٍ
zukh'rufin
ornament
أَوْ
aw
or
تَرْقَىٰ
tarqā
you ascend
فِى
fī
into
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
l-samāi
the sky
وَلَن
walan
And never
نُّؤْمِنَ
nu'mina
we will believe
لِرُقِيِّكَ
liruqiyyika
in your ascension
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
تُنَزِّلَ
tunazzila
you bring down
عَلَيْنَا
ʿalaynā
to us
كِتَـٰبًۭا
kitāban
a book
نَّقْرَؤُهُۥ ۗ
naqra-uhu
we could read it
قُلْ
qul
Say
سُبْحَانَ
sub'ḥāna
Glorified (is)
رَبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
هَلْ
hal
What
كُنتُ
kuntu
am I
إِلَّا
illā
but
بَشَرًۭا
basharan
a human
رَّسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
93. Or you have a house of gold, or you ascend into the sky—and even then, we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book [110] that we can read." Say, "Glory be to my Lord! I am only a human [111] messenger."
[110]
The Sensory Miracles Demanded by the Disbelievers of Makkah:
In these verses, the demands of the disbelievers of Makkah are collectively mentioned, which they repeatedly made in the form of requests for sensory miracles as proof of prophethood. They were not at all justified in making such demands because they had already witnessed many miracles that were clear proofs of your ﷺ prophethood. For example, despite repeated challenges, they could not produce speech like the Quran. The incident of the splitting of the moon happened before their very eyes. In connection with the event of Isra, they had questioned him and received answers about the structure of Bayt al-Maqdis. All these things were sufficient for their inner satisfaction. But, as the saying goes, "a bad habit finds many excuses," they kept making new and newer demands, some of which were as follows: that you cause springs of water to flow here so that our water shortage is resolved, or that you remove the mountains from here so that we have some open land to live in, and in it, fields, date palms, and grape gardens may be produced; or, as you keep threatening us, drop a piece of the sky upon us so that neither we remain nor you, and this daily repetition comes to an end; or, regarding the angel you say descends upon you, at least let us see him; or, if you cannot do good for us, then at least let your own house become of gold or golden; or, before us, you ascend to the sky, and when you descend, there should be a book in your hands addressed to us, saying, "This is truly a prophet, and believe in him," then only can we believe in your prophethood.
[111]
The Response to the Demands:
Allah Almighty gave a reply to all these absurd demands of the disbelievers of Makkah in a single brief sentence, that is, you ﷺ should say to these people that when did I ever say to you that I possess divine powers and am all-powerful? All such things are within the power and authority of Allah Almighty. If I had claimed divinity before you, then you would have been justified in making such demands of me, but I am only claiming that I am a human being like you. However, Allah Almighty has certainly made me His Messenger and envoy. If you want to test me, then examine this message, test my truthfulness, my previous life is before you, point out any flaw you see in me. After all, what connection do your demands have with my claim of prophethood?
[110]
The Sensory Miracles Demanded by the Disbelievers of Makkah:
In these verses, the demands of the disbelievers of Makkah are collectively mentioned, which they repeatedly made in the form of requests for sensory miracles as proof of prophethood. They were not at all justified in making such demands because they had already witnessed many miracles that were clear proofs of your ﷺ prophethood. For example, despite repeated challenges, they could not produce speech like the Quran. The incident of the splitting of the moon happened before their very eyes. In connection with the event of Isra, they had questioned him and received answers about the structure of Bayt al-Maqdis. All these things were sufficient for their inner satisfaction. But, as the saying goes, "a bad habit finds many excuses," they kept making new and newer demands, some of which were as follows: that you cause springs of water to flow here so that our water shortage is resolved, or that you remove the mountains from here so that we have some open land to live in, and in it, fields, date palms, and grape gardens may be produced; or, as you keep threatening us, drop a piece of the sky upon us so that neither we remain nor you, and this daily repetition comes to an end; or, regarding the angel you say descends upon you, at least let us see him; or, if you cannot do good for us, then at least let your own house become of gold or golden; or, before us, you ascend to the sky, and when you descend, there should be a book in your hands addressed to us, saying, "This is truly a prophet, and believe in him," then only can we believe in your prophethood.
[111]
The Response to the Demands:
Allah Almighty gave a reply to all these absurd demands of the disbelievers of Makkah in a single brief sentence, that is, you ﷺ should say to these people that when did I ever say to you that I possess divine powers and am all-powerful? All such things are within the power and authority of Allah Almighty. If I had claimed divinity before you, then you would have been justified in making such demands of me, but I am only claiming that I am a human being like you. However, Allah Almighty has certainly made me His Messenger and envoy. If you want to test me, then examine this message, test my truthfulness, my previous life is before you, point out any flaw you see in me. After all, what connection do your demands have with my claim of prophethood?
