"And nothing has prevented Us from sending the signs," to your people, O Muhammad; this is because they asked for the signs, "except that the former peoples denied them." Whenever We sent a sign to a people and they did not believe, We destroyed them. Therefore, We did not send them the signs, because the final disbelievers of this nation have been delayed until the Blast.
Qatadah said: "The people of Mecca said to the Prophet, peace be upon him: 'If what you say is the truth, and it pleases you that we believe, then turn Al-Safa into gold for us!' Gabriel came to him and said: 'If you wish, what your people have asked for will happen, but if they do not believe thereafter, they will not be granted respite. Or, if you wish, you may grant your people more time.' He replied: 'No, rather I will grant my people more time.'"
﴿وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَنْ نُرْسِلَ بِالآيَاتِ﴾ إِلَى قَوْمِكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ؛ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُمْ سَأَلُوا الْآيَاتِ ﴿إِلا أَنْ كذب بهَا الْأَولونَ﴾ وَكُنَّا إِذَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى قَوْمٍ بِآيَةٍ فَلَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ؛ فَلِذَلِكَ لَمْ نُرْسِلْ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْآيَاتِ؛ لِأَنَّ آخِرَ كُفَّارِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أُخِّرُوا إِلَى النَّفْخَةِ.
قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: " إِنَّ أهل مَكَّة قَالُوا للنَّبِي عليه السلام: إِنْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ حَقًّا وَسَرَّكَ أَنْ نُؤْمِنَ؛ فَحَوِّلْ لَنَا الصَّفَا ذَهَبًا! فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ: إِنْ شِئْتَ كَانَ الَّذِي سَأَلَكَ قَوْمُكَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنْ هُمْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَمْ يُنْظَرُوا، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ اسْتَأَنَيْتَ بِقَوْمِكَ. قَالَ: لَا؛ بَلْ أَسْتَأَنِي بِقَوْمِي ".
