[Machine] The people of Mecca asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to make Safa golden for them and for the mountains to be moved away from them so that they could cultivate in it. Allah, the Exalted, said: "If you wish, We could grant them what they requested. However, if they disbelieve, they will be destroyed like those before them. And if you wish, I can give you authority over them so that perhaps you may be able to humble them." Allah then revealed this verse: "And nothing has prevented Us from sending signs except that the former peoples denied them. And We gave Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign." [Quran 17:59]
سَأَلَ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ لَهُمُ الصَّفَا ذَهَبًا وَأَنْ تُنَحَّى عَنْهُمُ الْجِبَالُ فَيَزْرَعُوا فِيهَا فَقَالَ اللَّهُ ﷻ إِنَّ شِئْتَ آتَيْنَاهُمْ مَا سَأَلُوا فَإِنْ كَفَرُوا أُهْلِكُوا كَمَا أَهْلَكْتُ مَنْ قَبْلَهُمْ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ أَسْتَأْنِيَ بِهِمْ لَعَلَّنَا نَسْتَحْيِي مِنْهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ {وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَنْ نُرْسِلَ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا أَنْ كَذَّبَ بِهَا الْأَوَّلُونَ وَآتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً} [الإسراء 59]