– Those who do evil keep their talk secret: “Is this (anything) but a human being like you? . . .”
This question seems to suggest the kinds of responses that the audience gives to the messenger’s preaching. Their main point is to say that he has invented his message (v. 5). When they ask for a “sign” (āya) like earlier messengers brought (v. 5), the audience may be thinking of the miracles that Moses and Jesus were known to have done. On miracles and the messenger of the Quran, see the discussion at 43.40.