11: Their messengers said to them...

"Their messengers said to them"—matching their initial statement: "We are but human beings like you." This is an acceptance of the premise (a qawl bil-mujib), as it invites potential agreement. Then, they turned to refute the opposing side by saying—peace be upon them: "But Allah bestows favor upon whom He wills of His servants." That is, Allah the Exalted has singled us out for the Message by His grace and bounty; humanity is not a barrier to His glorious will. This is evidence that the Message is a bestowal, and that the preference of some possible things over others is by His exalted will. It is not hidden that the shift from saying "But Allah has bestowed favor upon us" to the phrasing in the majestic composition conveys the humility of the messengers, peace be upon them.

It is also said: The meaning is, "We are not angels; rather, we are humans like you in form or in being included under the same genus. But Allah, the Exalted, bestows favor upon whom He wills with the virtues, perfections, and predispositions upon which revolves the sphere of selection for the Message." In this, there is an inclination toward the position of some Muslim philosophers: that if a human being were not, in their soul and body, distinguished by noble, heavenly, and sacred qualities, it would be rationally impossible for the attribute of prophethood to occur in them. They answered the question of why the messengers (peace be upon them) did not mention their own spiritual and physical virtues by stating that it was out of humility, similar to the choice of the general term. The truth is that such rational impossibility is denied, even if all the messengers possessed advantages and qualities that favored them over others.

The phrase "was said to them" was used—as it was previously—because the speech was directed specifically at them, intending to bind them to the obligation, unlike the preceding denial of the occurrence of doubt in Allah, which was general, even if what followed was specific to them.

"And it is not for us"—meaning, it is not correct nor consistent—"that we should bring you a sultan"—that is, any proof or argument, let alone the clear authority (sultan mubin) you demanded—"by any thing or any cause, except by the permission of Allah." For it is a matter that relates to His exalted will; if He wills, it happens, and if not, it does not.

"And upon Allah"—alone, and no one else, absolutely—"let the believers rely" in enduring your stubbornness and hostility. They generalized the command to indicate that which necessitates reliance, which is faith, and they intended themselves primarily. This is evidenced by their saying: ...