And when the estimation was: they denied it [due to their firm grounding in oppression] fundamentally and at its core. They did not consider it as signs, let alone as clear proofs. He then added to it His saying: ﴿And they said﴾, implying deceit and showing a semblance of fairness by being satisfied with the least that indicates truth: ﴿Why﴾, meaning: why not ﴿has been sent down to him﴾, meaning: in whatever way it may be from the ways of revelation ﴿signs﴾, meaning: one that would categorically indicate the truth of the one bringing it ﴿from his Lord﴾, meaning: the One whom he claims to be gracious to him, just as was sent down to the prophets before him, such as the she-camel of Salih and the staff of Musa and similar to them, so that we may deduce from it the truth of his words and the correctness of what he claims regarding his state. This is according to the reading of [Ibn Kathir and] Hamzah, Al-Kisai, and Abu Bakr with the singular form, while others gathered in a way indicating that another group said: indeed, something as significant as this cannot be established except by multiple signs. They implied (p-456) stubbornness and obstinacy that this did not occur, even if what is called a sign occurred.

And when this was a denial of the sun after its rising, and a stubbornness regarding what he challenged with from the miracles after their rights, he referred to it with His saying: ﴿Say﴾, meaning: to them, loosening the reins as if you have not brought them anything: ﴿The signs are only with Allah﴾, meaning: the One to whom belongs all command, so no one can bring down anything of them except Him. For indeed, the deity is He and none other than Him ﴿And I am only a warner﴾, I am established for you with what I have been entrusted and tasked with regarding warning, indicating it with what I have been given of signs and the contradictions of the continuities. And it is not for me to propose [to Him] the signs, given that the intended purpose of the verse is to indicate the truth, and all of it is in the ruling of a single sign [in that]. And He did not mention the glad tidings because it is not its style ﴿clear﴾, meaning: the clearest of what he has brought of that after he clarified the correctness of being a warner. So it is not upon me to bring down the signs nor to request them as a suggestion to Allah. For it is a limitation of a heart in them, addressed to those who are bound by the claim that the bringing down of the signs is to him ﷺ and that his matter is to bring what he wants or requests from Him.