demand of the disbelievers had no role in this matter. This applies to other prophets as well. The following revelations by God, the Exalted, point to this fact:

It was not [given] to any messenger that he should bring a sign, save by Gods leave. For everything, there is a time prescribed (Q. ١٣:٣٨). And it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a sign, save by Gods leave, but when Gods commandment comes [the cause] is judged aright, and the follow.ers of vanity w.ill then be lost (Q. ٤٠:٧٨).

Second, the Quran also contains verses which indicate that miracles issued from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). Among these are Gods saying:

The hour drew nigh and the moon was split in twain. And if they behold a sign (aya), they turn away and say, "Prolonged illusion" (Q. ٥٤: l-٢). And when a sign (aya) comes to them, they say, "We will not believe till we are given that which Gods messengers are given" (Q. ٦:١٢٤).

Several things indicate to us that aya here means a miraculous sign [rather than a Quranic verseV The [first verse] speaks of seeing the aya. Had the reference been to the verses of the Quran, the correct expression would have been "hearing" it. "Seeing" theaya is, moreover, conjoined with the splitting of the moon. Finally, [the second verse] ascribes to the aya the act of "coming" to them, rather than of "de‌
scending," or any of the other expressions [used from the Quranic revelation]. In fact, their words "prolonged illusion" are evidence of miracles repeatedly performed by the Prophet. Consequently, if we were to concede that the previous verses deny his performance of miracles, then the denial applies only to the time when these verses were revealed. It cannot possibly apply to any subsequent period.
The summary of what has been said above is as follows:

I. There is no evidence, in any of the verses of the Quran, that would deny the occur‌ rence of other miracles besides the Quran. On the contrary, a number of verses contain evidence that proves the occurrence of other miracles, which the opponents [of this view] allege to have been denied by the Quran.
٢. Producing a miracle was not something which the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) could decide of his own free will. It was in the hands of God, the Glorified.
٣. When a claim to prophethood is made, what is needed is a miracle which proves the
claim and on which its verification depends. Any miracle which exceeds this pur‌ pose is not incumbent upon God to manifest, nor should the Prophet respond if one were demanded.
٤. Any miracle which entails doom and torment for the community is forbidden for that community. It must not be performed in response to a demand from the com‌ munity, regardless of whether that was [made] by all or some of its members.
٥. The lasting miracle of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), by which he challenged all the communities until the Day of Resurrection, is the revealed Book of God. As for his other miracles, they are not lasting, no matter how numerous they were. In this respect they share the characteristics of miracles [performed] by the earlier prophets.