Surat Al Isra' (59-60)

{وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالآيَاتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الأَوَّلُونَ وَآتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُواْ بِهَا وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالآيَاتِ إِلاَّ تَخْوِيفاً} (الإسراء : 59)

59- What prevented US from sending the signs and miracles which the infield of Quraysh suggested is the fear that they won't believe in them because if they disbelieve in them, We shall destroy them. Previously, We revealed miracles to former people but they disbelieved in them, so We destroyed them.

It was reported in Musnad Imam Ahmad with an authentic chain of transmission that the people of Makkah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to turn the mountain of As-Safa into gold and to remove mountains to expand their area. It was said to him (the Prophet): If you wish to delay them or bring what they had wished for, but if they refuse to believe, We will destroy them as We did with former nations. He (the Prophet) said: No, but delay them. So, Allah revealed this Ayah.

We gave Thamud a clear miracle to indicate the power and creativity of the Creator and a proof to the truthfulness of His Messenger. These miracles were given according to the request of his people, but they disbelieved in Allah, belied His Messenger, and killed the she-camel after they had been warned against that. We send miracles and signs of the Qur'an or signs as a warning for people to believe and take a lesson.

{وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي القُرْآنِ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ طُغْيَاناً كَبِيراً}
(الإسراء: 60)

60- O Prophet, We said to you: People are in the grip of Allah and under His Disposal, so Allah prevented them to harm you.

We have not made the vision which you had seen in naked eye (i.e., Isra' and Mi`raj) but a test for people to know the truthful from the liar.

After the incident of Isra', some people averted while others increased in faith.

Al Bukhari reported in his Sahih on the authority of ibn `Abbas who said: It was a true vision which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was seen on the night of Isra' to Jerusalem.

Likewise, the pungent tree which Allah mentioned in the Qur'an and terrified therewith the deniers which you had seen in your journey, but they denied it.

It was reported in Musnad Abu Ya`la and Ahamd with authentic chain of transmission that Abu Jahl said: Muhammad terrifies us with the pungent tree, so get a fresh date and butter and eat it.

Ayahs which speak about the pungent tree are in Surat As-Saffat (62-66) and Ad-Dhukhan (43-46).

We terrify the infidels with threat and torment, so this will not increase them but more disbelief and error.