Quran 6: Why is not an angel sent down to Muhammad?

Quran 6, Angels and the Quran

I have been studying chapter 6 of the Quran: The Cattle (Al-An’am) and learning from Ali Gomaa. Ali Gomaa is a leading Islamic scholar and second highest Sunni authority in Egypt. This is episode 16.

Ali Gomaa continues his discussion of angels becaue of their mention in Quran 6:8-9,

Quran 6:8
YUSUF ALI: They say: “Why is not an angel sent down to him?” If we did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted them.
PICKTHAL: They say: Why hath not an angel been sent down unto him? If We sent down an angel, then the matter would be judged; no further time would be allowed them (for reflection).
SHAKIR: And they say: Why has not an angel been sent down to him? And had We sent down an angel, the matter would have certainly been decided and then they would not have been respited.

Quran 6:9
YUSUF ALI: If We had made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.
PICKTHAL: Had we appointed him (Our messenger) an angel, We assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure.
SHAKIR: And if We had made him angel, We would certainly have made him a man, and We would certainly have made confused to them what they make confused.

Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Traditions of Angels in Islamic Tradition:

0:00-1:42

Scientists talk about the possibility of seeing angels in their angelic shape, It is rare. It happens only to some wise men, it is possible also to hear its voice without seeing it. This does not mean being sick or hallucinating but they assured that man cannot see it in its shape in the same time, hearing it. Only in the case of revelation, and it was sealed by the prophet. This is the case in which man sees the angel in its shape with wings, the wings that extends in the sky from the east to the west, and hears him, this is impossible because this means it is revelation. He who claims this, his testimony will be rejected, as Ash-Shafi’i said. This means that he imagines or lies, if he imagines, this means that he’s not concentrating or he lies, and his testimony will be rejected.

1:43-2:37

“If only an Angel had been sent down on him!” Ali Gomaa says of this Quranic sentence, “They want to see and hear him directly as if they want to be part of revelation, because only prophets who can see it in its shape and hear it. This means that they all ask for being prophets to believe, none of them can handle this with Allah. Who can give orders to Allah, it cannot be. You only can say: “We have heard, and we have obeyed. Grant (us) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the Destiny.” But you cannot give orders to Allah telling Him what [is] to be done and what not.

2:38-3:53

“If only an Angel had been sent down on him!” This leads to a type of mentality, or a state called voice phenomenon. This means that it is only meaningless speech, or it contradicts axioms, truism, and premises that man should stick to for right thinking.

“If only an Angel had been sent down on him!” What does this mean? This means that they all want to be prophets, but prophets are the best selected people, they are selected from Allah, and you want to be included in what was not made for you by Allah, voice phenomenon. This speech is only structured words contradicting the right thinking, and reason. It contradicts axioms and premises.

3:54-4:43

“And (yet), if We had sent down an Angel, the Command would indeed have been decreed.” If an angel was sent down for these aims, it would be a torturer, he would torture those people until death, and it will be over. If we listened to them, it’ll be over.

“Thereafter, they would not be respited.” This means that Allah will not wait and give them another chance for repentance, it will be their torture and doom.