Quran Universe
3:183

ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيۡنَآ أَلَّا نُؤۡمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَنَا بِقُرۡبَانٖ تَأۡكُلُهُ ٱلنَّارُۗ قُلۡ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رُسُلٞ مِّن قَبۡلِي بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَبِٱلَّذِي قُلۡتُمۡ فَلِمَ قَتَلۡتُمُوهُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

Allatheena qaloo inna Allaha AAahida ilayna alla numina lirasoolin hatta yatiyana biqurbanin takuluhu alnnaru qul qad jaakum rusulun min qablee bialbayyinati wabiallathee qultum falima qataltumoohum in kutum sadiqeena

[They are] those who said, "Indeed, Allah has taken our promise not to believe any messenger until he brings us an offering which fire [from heaven] will consume." Say, "There have already come to you messengers before me with clear proofs and [even] that of which you speak. So why did you kill them, if you should be truthful?"

Word by word
  1. ٱلَّذِينَThose who
  2. قَالُوٓاْsaid
  3. إِنَّIndeed
  4. ٱللَّهَAllah
  5. عَهِدَ(has) taken promise
  6. إِلَيۡنَآfrom us
  7. أَلَّاthat not
  8. نُؤۡمِنَwe (should) believe
  9. لِرَسُولٍin a Messenger
  10. حَتَّىٰuntil
  11. يَأۡتِيَنَاhe brings to us
  12. بِقُرۡبَانٖa sacrifice
  13. تَأۡكُلُهُconsumes it
  14. ٱلنَّارُۗthe fire
  15. قُلۡSay
  16. قَدۡSurely
  17. جَآءَكُمۡcame to you
  18. رُسُلٞMessengers
  19. مِّنfrom
  20. قَبۡلِيbefore me
  21. بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِwith the clear Signs
  22. وَبِٱلَّذِيand with what
  23. قُلۡتُمۡyou speak
  24. فَلِمَSo why
  25. قَتَلۡتُمُوهُمۡyou killed them
  26. إِنif
  27. كُنتُمۡyou are
  28. صَٰدِقِينَtruthful
Ali 'Imran · 3:183Madinah

Proof was never really the problem.

Demanding a sign you would ignore anyway

The demand
show us fireconsuming an offering
but
earlier messengersbrought clear proofs
and that very signyou asked for
still killed themwhy, if truthful
What was missing
enough proofthen I will believe
willingnessthe proofs had come

Some claimed Allah told them to believe no messenger until he brought an offering consumed by fire from the sky. Allah replied: messengers came before me with clear proofs, and with what you ask for. So why did you kill them, if you are truthful?

You say you will start praying once you feel it. Once you get a sign. Once your questions are all answered. Sometimes the demand for proof is a way to delay. Ask yourself what would really change.

I will commit once I get the right sign.

Often I already have enough; what I lack is the will to act.

Try this

Do one act of worship today you have been putting off until you feel ready.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 3:181)

Indeed, Allah has heard the statement of those who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!" We shall record what they have said and their killing of the Prophets unjustly, and We shall say: "Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire). (181)This is because of that which your hands have sent before you. And certainly, Allah is never unjust to (His) servants (182)Those who said: "Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour. " Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with Al-Bayinat and even with with what you speak of; why then did you kill them, if you are truthful? (183)Then if they reject you, so were Messengers rejected before you, who came with Al-Bayinat and the Scriptures and the Book of Enlightenment (184)

Allah Warns the Idolators

Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said, "When Allah's statement,

مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً

(Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times?)[2:245] was revealed, the Jews said, 'O Muhammad! Has your Lord become poor so that He asks His servants to give Him a loan?' Allah sent down,

لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَاءُ

(Indeed, Allah has heard the statement of those (Jews) who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!")[3:181]."

This Hadith was collected by Ibn Marduwyah and Ibn Abi Hatim.

Allah's statement,

سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُوا 

(We shall record what they have said) contains a threat and a warning that Allah followed with His statement,

وَقَتْلَهُمُ الْأَنبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ

(and their killing of the Prophets unjustly,)

This is what they say about Allah and this is how they treat His Messengers. Allah will punish them for these deeds in the worst manner,

وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ - ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ

(and We shall say: "Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire)." This is because of that which your hands have sent before you. And certainly, Allah is never unjust to (His) servants.)

They will be addressed like this as a way of chastising, criticism, disgrace and humiliation.

Allah said,

الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَا أَلَّا نُؤْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ النَّارُ

(Those (Jews) who said: "Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour.")

Allah refuted their claim that in their Books, Allah took a covenant from them to only believe in the Messenger whose miracles include fire coming down from the sky that consumes the charity offered by a member of the Messenger's nation, as Ibn 'Abbas and Al-Hasan stated. Allah replied,

قُلْ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِي بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ 

(Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with Al-Bayinat...") with proofs and evidence,

وَبِالَّذِي قُلْتُمْ

(and even with what you speak of) a fire that consumes the accepted charity, as you asked,

فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ

(why then did you kill them?) Why did you meet these Prophets with denial, defiance, stubbornness and even murder,

إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

(if you are truthful), if you follow the truth and obey the Messengers.

Allah then comforts His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ,

فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ جَاءُوا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُنِيرِ

(Then if they reject you, so were Messengers rejected before you, who came with Al-Baiyyinat and the Scripture, and the Book of Enlightenment.) meaning, do not be sad because they deny you, for you have an example in the Messengers who came before you. These Messengers were rejected although they brought clear proofs, plain evidence and unequivocal signs,

وَالزُّبُرِ 

(and the Zubur), the divinely revealed Books that were sent down to the Messengers,

 وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُنِيرِ

(and the Book of Enlightenment) meaning the clarification and best explanation.