'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' His saying - glorified and exalted is He -: "And if We had sent down to you a Book on paper and they had touched it with their hands, the disbelievers would have said, 'This is nothing but clear magic.'" "And they said, 'Why has a messenger not been sent down to him?' If We had sent down an angel, the matter would have been decided, then they would not be given respite." "And if We had made him an angel, We would have made him a man, and We would have confused them with what they confuse themselves with." When He informed about them - glorified and exalted is He - that they denied all that came to them from signs; this was followed by an exaggerated statement implying that if something more severe than what was sent to you had come to them, they would have denied it as well; and the meaning is: "And if We had sent down" in their sight "a Book" - meaning a written speech - "on paper" - meaning in a sheet; and it is said: 'Qurtas' with the 'qaf' pronounced with a dammah - "and they had touched it with their hands" - meaning that they exaggerated in examining it and turning it over - to remove all doubt; they would have contradicted it; and they continued in their disbelief; and said: 'This is clear magic.'" It seems that the reason for this verse was the suggestion of Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah; and his obstinacy; as he said to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him -: 'I will not believe you until you ascend to the heavens; then come down with a Book; in it: from the Lord of Glory to Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah; ordering me to believe you; and I do not see that I would believe you with this.' Then Abdullah embraced Islam; after that he was killed as a martyr in Ta'if. And His saying - exalted is He -: "And they said, 'Why has an angel not been sent down to him?'"; this verse recounts the words of those who were extreme among the Arabs; as they requested that an angel descend to confirm Muhammad in his prophethood; and inform about Allah - glorified and exalted is He - that it is true; so Allah - exalted is He - responded to them with His saying: "And if We had sent down an angel, the matter would have been decided." Mujahid said: Its meaning is: 'The Day of Resurrection would have occurred.' The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: This is weak. And Qatadah; and Al-Suddi; and Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with them both - said: In the speech, there is an omission; its estimation is: 'And if We had sent down an angel and they had denied him; the matter would have been decided with their punishment; and they would not have been given respite; as has occurred in every nation that requested a sign; and denied after it was shown to them'; and this is a good saying. And a group said: "The matter would have been decided"; meaning: they would have died from the terror of seeing the angel in his form; and this interpretation is supported by what follows from His saying: "And if We had made him an angel, We would have made him a man." For the people of interpretation agree that this is because they would not have been able to bear seeing the angel in his form; so the first meaning of His saying: 'The matter would have been decided'; meaning: they would have died from the terror of seeing him. And "they would not be given respite"; its meaning is: they would be delayed; and "the respite" means: the delay. And His saying - glorified and exalted is He -: "And if We had made him"; the meaning is: 'If We had made him an angel, We would have certainly made him in the form of a man; for they have no strength to see the angel in his form'; and this was said by Ibn Abbas; and Mujahid; and Qatadah; and Ibn Zayd.

The judge Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: And among what supports this meaning is the hadith reported about the two men who ascended the mountain on the day of Badr; to see what would happen in the war of the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - against the polytheists; they heard the sound of the angels; and a voice saying in the sky: "Advance, Hayzoum!"; one of them died from the terror of that; so how about seeing an angel in his form? This is not opposed by the Prophet's - blessings and peace be upon him - seeing Gabriel - peace be upon him - and others in their forms; because the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - was given a power unlike all of this - may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

"And We would have surely confused them"; meaning: "We would have mixed for them what they mix for themselves; and upon their weakness"; meaning: We would have done for them an act that confuses them leading them to be confused by it; and that is not good; and the speech may have another intended meaning; meaning: "We would have confused them as they confuse themselves due to their weakness; so we would have prohibited them from confusion; and we would do it to them"; and it is said: "The man mixed the matter; he mixes it; mixing"; if he confused it; and Ibn Muhaisin read: "And We confused"; with a فتح on the لام and a شَدّ on the باء.

And some people mentioned regarding this verse that it was revealed about the people of the Book; and the context of the speech and its meanings necessitate that it is about the disbelievers of the Arabs.