Tafsir of Al-Hijr 15:81

"And We gave them Our signs, but they were..."

"And We gave them Our signs" (referring to the she-camel, her outstripping [in speed], her drinking, and her flow of milk). Some mentioned that there were five signs in the she-camel: her emergence from the rock, the immediacy of her giving birth upon her emergence, her immense size such that no other she-camel resembled her, and the abundance of her milk such that it sufficed them all. It has been said: Their Prophet—upon him be peace—had miracles other than what was mentioned, and it does not harm us that they were not mentioned in detail; however, to take it as a generalization [without specific evidence] is of no consequence.

It has also been said: The intended meaning of "the signs" is the rational proofs established for them, which point to Him—Glory be to Him—spread throughout the souls and the horizons; but there is remoteness in this view. It has also been said: They are the signs of the Book revealed to their Prophet—upon him be peace. It was objected to this that their Prophet—upon him be peace—did not have a received Book, unless one says: It is not necessary for the Book to have been revealed to him in reality, for it suffices that it be with him, that he be commanded to follow what is in it, and that this be in the ruling of its being revealed to him. It may also be said that it was revealed repeatedly in reality, but the weakness of this interpretation is not hidden.

It has been said: It is permissible that the signs be intended to include what reached them of the signs of the [other] Messengers—upon them be peace. Since it is valid to say that the rejection of one of them is in the ruling of rejecting them all, why is it not valid to say that what one of them brought in terms of signs is as if they all brought them? There is, however, consideration to be given to this. In summary, the manifest interpretation is the first one.

"...turning away."

"Not turning towards acting upon what these signs necessitate." The fronting of the object [i.e., "about them" (عنها)] is for the sake of observing the rhyme of the verses.