مَا نُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَمَا كَانُوٓا۟ إِذًا مُّنظَرِينَ 8
Translations
We do not send down the angels except with truth; and they [i.e., the disbelievers] would not then be reprieved.
Transliteration
Ma nunazzilul-malā'ikata illā bil-ḥaqqi wa mā kānū idhā munẓarīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah clarifies that Allah does not send the angels except with truth and purpose, refuting the polytheists' false expectations and wishes regarding angelic visitation. When the angels are sent, they come with divine justice and inevitability—those destined to receive punishment will not be given respite or delay. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse responds to the disbelievers' arrogant demands for angels as a sign, asserting that angelic descent occurs only according to Allah's divine wisdom and justice, not human whim.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Hijr's refutation of Meccan polytheists who mockingly demanded to see angels as proof of Muhammad's prophethood. The surah addresses their rejection and false assumptions about how divine signs operate. The broader thematic context emphasizes that Allah's decisions regarding revelation and punishment are based on ultimate wisdom (ḥikma) and justice (ḥaqq), not arbitrary human requests.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this verse, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain reports about the angel Jibril's visits to the Prophet, exemplifying how angels are sent 'with truth' for divine purposes. Additionally, hadith collections record the Prophet's teachings about the nature and roles of angels as obedient servants executing Allah's commands.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that divine guidance and signs come according to Allah's infinite wisdom and justice, not human demands or expectations, encouraging submission to Allah's plan rather than arrogant insistence on our own terms. It reminds us that when consequences come—whether mercy or punishment—they arrive with absolute certainty and divine purpose, leaving no room for false hope or delay.