Cattle, Livestock — Verse 134

If They Disobey, They Will Perish Allah said, وَرَبُّكَ (And your Lord...), O Muhammad, الْغَنِىُّ (is Al-Ghani) Rich, free from needing His creatures in any way or form, while they stand in need of Him in all situations, ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ (full of mercy;) towards creation. Allah said in another Ayah, إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ (Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.) 2:143 إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ (if He wills, He can destroy you.) if you defy His commandments, وَيَسْتَخْلِفْ مِن بَعْدِكُم مَّا يَشَآءُ (And in your place make whom He wills as your successors,) who behave obediently, كَمَآ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ (As He raised you from the seed of other people.) and surely, He is able to do this, and it is easy for Him. And just as Allah has destroyed the earlier nations and brought their successors, He is able to do away with these generations and bring other people in their place. Allah has also said; إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِـاخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ذلِكَ قَدِيراً (If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is Ever Capable over that.) 4:133, يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ - إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُـمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ (O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah. But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), Worthy of all praise. If He willed, He could destroy you and bring about a new creation. And that is not hard for Allah.) 35:15-17, and, نَّفْسِهِ وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ (But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and you are poor. And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) 47:38. Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Ya`qub bin `Utbah said that he heard Aban bin `Uthman saying about this Ayah, كَمَآ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ (As He raised you from the seed of other people. ) "`The seed' means the offspring and the children." Allah's statement, إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لأَتٍ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ (Surely, that which you are promised, will verily, come to pass and you cannot escape.) means, tell them, O Muhammad, that what they have been promised of Resurrection will surely occur, وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ (and you cannot escape.) from Allah. Rather, He is able to resurrect you even after you become dust and bones. Certainly, Allah is able to do all things and nothing ever escapes His power. Allah said; قُلْ يَـقَوْمِ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّى عَامِلٌ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ (Say: "O my people! Work according to your way, surely, I too am working and you will come to know.") This contains a stern warning and a sure promise, saying; remain on your way, if you think that you are rightly guided, for I will remain on mine. Allah said in another Ayah, وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنَّا عَامِلُونَ - وَانْتَظِرُواْ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ (And say to those who do not believe: "Act according to Makanatikum, We are acting (in our way). And you wait! We (too) are waiting.") 11:121-122. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that, عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ (according to Makanatikum...) means, your way. فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَـقِبَةُ الدَّارِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّـلِمُونَ (And you will come to know for which of us will be the (happy) end in the Hereafter. Certainly the wrongdoers will not be successful) 6:135, You will come to know if the happy end will be mine (Muhammad's) or yours (the disbelievers). Allah has indeed kept His promise and allowed Muhammad ﷺ to prevail in the land and rise above those who defied him. He conquered Makkah for him and made him triumphant over his people who rejected and showed enmity towards him. The Prophet's rule soon spread over the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Bahrain, and all this occurred during his lifetime. After his death, the various lands and provinces were conquered during the time of his successors, may Allah be pleased with them all. Allah also said, كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) 58:21 إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَـدُ - يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ (Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth. The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode.) 40:51-52 and, وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الاٌّرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّـلِحُونَ (And indeed We have written in the Zabur after the Dhikr that My righteous servants shall inherit the land.) 21:105

Truly that which you are promised of the Hour and chastisement will surely come to pass inevitably and you cannot escape you cannot elude Our chastisement.

Surely what you are promised will come. Take what is to come as come, take what is to go as gone, take this bright day as dark, and take this world's delusion as a day that has ended. A chevalier was seen limping without a cause. They asked him, “Why are you limping?” He said, “Tomorrow I am going to the thorn-field.” They said, “Then tomorrow!” He said, “Take tomorrow as come, take this curtain as torn, and take the disgrace as arrived!” How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy? How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging? [DS 182] O chevalier! The life of this world is wind-as soon as you look, it's gone. This world is like a mad man's laughter and a drunkard's weeping. The mad man laughs without happiness, and the drunkard weeps without grief. This world is like ice placed in the sun, and it passes in anguish. Or it is like a sugar cube put in the mouth, and it falls apart. Yes, the taste is so sweet, but the body melts away. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it melts. This world is a pleasant gazing place, a verdant disclosure, but as soon as you look, it passes. As soon as you bind your heart to it, it goes. “If not for death, every man would claim lordhood.” Were it not for the abasement of death, from all sides of the world would rise up the call, “I am your Lord the most high” [79:24]. You will see all these seats of honor emptied of chiefs. They bloomed like roses on the wall, then they dropped from the wall and slept in the dust. Why do you not take heed and think about your final end? The Lord of the Worlds says, “You shall surely know whose outcome shall be the Abode” [6:135]. Yes, know what this world will reach and who shall have the house of triumph and foreverness! See how the poor and broken will be brought on steeds of generosity, and the chieftains empty of meaning will be driven by whips of severity! Wait-you'll find those you see as parts today are wholes. Wait-you'll see those you see as thorns today are roses. The exalted ones who'll be good fortune's garden there- don't take and treat them like lowly thorns here. The rosebush that yesterday's cruelty makes appear to you like firewood- wait till the hand of Spring's justice brings it to display! [DS 185]

Surely what you are promised will come. Take what is to come as come, take what is to go as gone, take this bright day as dark, and take this world's delusion as a day that has ended. A chevalier was seen limping without a cause. They asked him, “Why are you limping?” He said, “Tomorrow I am going to the thorn-field.” They said, “Then tomorrow!” He said, “Take tomorrow as come, take this curtain as torn, and take the disgrace as arrived!” How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy? How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging? [DS 182] O chevalier! The life of this world is wind-as soon as you look, it's gone. This world is like a mad man's laughter and a drunkard's weeping. The mad man laughs without happiness, and the drunkard weeps without grief. This world is like ice placed in the sun, and it passes in anguish. Or it is like a sugar cube put in the mouth, and it falls apart. Yes, the taste is so sweet, but the body melts away. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it melts. This world is a pleasant gazing place, a verdant disclosure, but as soon as you look, it passes. As soon as you bind your heart to it, it goes. “If not for death, every man would claim lordhood.” Were it not for the abasement of death, from all sides of the world would rise up the call, “I am your Lord the most high” [79:24]. You will see all these seats of honor emptied of chiefs. They bloomed like roses on the wall, then they dropped from the wall and slept in the dust. Why do you not take heed and think about your final end? The Lord of the Worlds says, “You shall surely know whose outcome shall be the Abode” [6:135]. Yes, know what this world will reach and who shall have the house of triumph and foreverness! See how the poor and broken will be brought on steeds of generosity, and the chieftains empty of meaning will be driven by whips of severity! Wait-you'll find those you see as parts today are wholes. Wait-you'll see those you see as thorns today are roses. The exalted ones who'll be good fortune's garden there- don't take and treat them like lowly thorns here. The rosebush that yesterday's cruelty makes appear to you like firewood- wait till the hand of Spring's justice brings it to display! [DS 185]

Surely what you are promised will come. Take what is to come as come, take what is to go as gone, take this bright day as dark, and take this world's delusion as a day that has ended. A chevalier was seen limping without a cause. They asked him, “Why are you limping?” He said, “Tomorrow I am going to the thorn-field.” They said, “Then tomorrow!” He said, “Take tomorrow as come, take this curtain as torn, and take the disgrace as arrived!” How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy? How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging? [DS 182] O chevalier! The life of this world is wind-as soon as you look, it's gone. This world is like a mad man's laughter and a drunkard's weeping. The mad man laughs without happiness, and the drunkard weeps without grief. This world is like ice placed in the sun, and it passes in anguish. Or it is like a sugar cube put in the mouth, and it falls apart. Yes, the taste is so sweet, but the body melts away. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it melts. This world is a pleasant gazing place, a verdant disclosure, but as soon as you look, it passes. As soon as you bind your heart to it, it goes. “If not for death, every man would claim lordhood.” Were it not for the abasement of death, from all sides of the world would rise up the call, “I am your Lord the most high” [79:24]. You will see all these seats of honor emptied of chiefs. They bloomed like roses on the wall, then they dropped from the wall and slept in the dust. Why do you not take heed and think about your final end? The Lord of the Worlds says, “You shall surely know whose outcome shall be the Abode” [6:135]. Yes, know what this world will reach and who shall have the house of triumph and foreverness! See how the poor and broken will be brought on steeds of generosity, and the chieftains empty of meaning will be driven by whips of severity! Wait-you'll find those you see as parts today are wholes. Wait-you'll see those you see as thorns today are roses. The exalted ones who'll be good fortune's garden there- don't take and treat them like lowly thorns here. The rosebush that yesterday's cruelty makes appear to you like firewood- wait till the hand of Spring's justice brings it to display! [DS 185]

Surely what you are promised will come. Take what is to come as come, take what is to go as gone, take this bright day as dark, and take this world's delusion as a day that has ended. A chevalier was seen limping without a cause. They asked him, “Why are you limping?” He said, “Tomorrow I am going to the thorn-field.” They said, “Then tomorrow!” He said, “Take tomorrow as come, take this curtain as torn, and take the disgrace as arrived!” How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy? How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging? [DS 182] O chevalier! The life of this world is wind-as soon as you look, it's gone. This world is like a mad man's laughter and a drunkard's weeping. The mad man laughs without happiness, and the drunkard weeps without grief. This world is like ice placed in the sun, and it passes in anguish. Or it is like a sugar cube put in the mouth, and it falls apart. Yes, the taste is so sweet, but the body melts away. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it melts. This world is a pleasant gazing place, a verdant disclosure, but as soon as you look, it passes. As soon as you bind your heart to it, it goes. “If not for death, every man would claim lordhood.” Were it not for the abasement of death, from all sides of the world would rise up the call, “I am your Lord the most high” [79:24]. You will see all these seats of honor emptied of chiefs. They bloomed like roses on the wall, then they dropped from the wall and slept in the dust. Why do you not take heed and think about your final end? The Lord of the Worlds says, “You shall surely know whose outcome shall be the Abode” [6:135]. Yes, know what this world will reach and who shall have the house of triumph and foreverness! See how the poor and broken will be brought on steeds of generosity, and the chieftains empty of meaning will be driven by whips of severity! Wait-you'll find those you see as parts today are wholes. Wait-you'll see those you see as thorns today are roses. The exalted ones who'll be good fortune's garden there- don't take and treat them like lowly thorns here. The rosebush that yesterday's cruelty makes appear to you like firewood- wait till the hand of Spring's justice brings it to display! [DS 185]

Surely what you are promised will come.Take what is to come as come, take what is to go as gone, take this bright day as dark, and take this world's delusion as a day that has ended.A chevalier was seen limping without a cause. They asked him, �Why are you limping?� He said, �Tomorrow I am going to the thorn-field.�They said, �Then tomorrow!�He said, �Take tomorrow as come, take this curtain as torn, and take the disgrace as arrived!�How long making the abode of delusion an abode of joy?How long making the abode of flight an abode of lodging? [DS 182]O chevalier! The life of this world is wind-as soon as you look, it's gone. This world is like a mad man's laughter and a drunkard's weeping. The mad man laughs without happiness, and the drunkard weeps without grief. This world is like ice placed in the sun, and it passes in anguish. Or it is like a sugar cube put in the mouth, and it falls apart. Yes, the taste is so sweet, but the body melts away. As soon as you put it in your mouth, it melts. This world is a pleasant gazing place, a verdant disclosure, but as soon as you look, it passes. As soon as you bind your heart to it, it goes.�If not for death, every man would claim lordhood.� Were it not for the abasement of death, from all sides of the world would rise up the call, �I am your Lord the most high� [79:24].You will see all these seats of honor emptied of chiefs. They bloomed like roses on the wall, then they dropped from the wall and slept in the dust. Why do you not take heed and think about your final end? The Lord of the Worlds says, �You shall surely know whose outcome shall be the Abode� [6:135]. Yes, know what this world will reach and who shall have the house of triumph and foreverness! See how the poor and broken will be brought on steeds of generosity, and the chieftains empty of meaning will be driven by whips of severity!Wait-you'll find those you see as parts today are wholes.Wait-you'll see those you see as thorns today are roses.The exalted ones who'll be good fortune's garden there- don't take and treat them like lowly thorns here.The rosebush that yesterday's cruelty makes appear to you like firewood- wait till the hand of Spring's justice brings it to display! [DS 185]

إن الذي يوعدكم به ربكم - أيها المشركون - من العقاب على كفركم واقع بكم، ولن تُعجِزوا ربكم هربًا، فهو قادر على إعادتكم، وإن صرتم ترابًا وعظامًا.

وقوله تعالى "إن ما توعدون لآت وما أنتم بمعجزين" أى أخبرهم يا محمد أن الذي يوعدون به من أمر المعاد كائن لا محالة "وما أنتم بمعجزين" أي ولا تعجزون الله بل هو قادر على إعادتكم وإن صرتم ترابا رفاتا وعظاما هو قادر لا يعجزه شيء وقال ابن أبي حاتم في تفسيرها: حدثنا أبي حدثنا محمد بن المصفى حدثنا محمد بن حسين عن أبي بكر بن أبي مريم عن عطاء بن أبي رباح عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم أنه قال يا بني آدم إن كنتم تعقلون فعدوا أنفسكم من الموتى والذي نفسي بيده إن ما توعدن لآت وما أنتم بمعجزين.

ثم بين - سبحانه - أن أمر البعث والحساب كائن لا ريب فيه فقال : { إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لآتٍ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ } .أى : " إن ما توعدون من أمر القيامة والحساب ، والعقاب والثواب لواقع لا شك فيه ، وما أنتم بمعجزين ، أى : بجاعليه عاجزا عنكم ، غير قادر على إدراككم . من أعجزه بمعنى جعله عاجزا ، أو : بفائتين العذاب ، من أعجزه الأمر . إذا فاته . أى لا مهرب لكم من عذابنا بل هو مدرككم لا محالة .

القول في تأويل قوله : إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لآتٍ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ (134)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره للمشركين به: أيها العادلون بالله الأوثانَ والأصنامَ, إن الذي يُوعدكم به ربكم من عقابه على إصراركم على كفركم، واقعٌ بكم =(وما أنتم بمعجزين) , يقول: لن تعجزوا ربّكم هربًا منه في الأرض فتفوتوه, لأنكم حيث كنتم في قبضته, وهو عليكم وعلى عقوبتكم بمعصيتكم إيّاه قادر. يقول: فاحذرُوه وأنيبوا إلى طاعته، قبل نـزول البلاء بكم .* * *

( إن ما توعدون ) أي : ما توعدون من مجيء الساعة والحشر ، ( لآت ) كائن ، ( وما أنتم بمعجزين ) أي : بفائتين ، يعني : يدرككم الموت حيث ما كنتم .

هذه الجملة بدل اشتمال من جملة : { إن يشأ يذهبكم } [ الأنعام : 133 ] فإنّ المشيئة تشتمل على حالين : حاللِ ترك إهلاكهم ، وحاللِ إيقاعه ، فأفادت هذه الجملة أنّ مشيئة الله تعلّقت بإيقاع ما أوعدهم به من الإذهاب ، ولك أن تجعل الجملة استئنافاً بيانياً : جواباً عن أن يقول سائل من المشركين ، متوركاً بالوعيد : إذا كنّا قد أُمهلنا وأخِّر عنَّا الاستئصال فقد أُفلتنا من الوعيد ، ولعلّه يلقاه أقوام بعدنا ، فورد قوله : { إن ما توعدون لأت } مورد الجواب عن هذا السّؤال النّاشىء عن الكلام السّابق بتحقيق أنّ مَا أُوعد به المشركون ، واقع لا محالة وإنْ تأخّر .والتّأكيد ب { أنّ } مناسب لمقام المتردّد الطالب ، وزيادة التّأكيد بلام الابتداء لأنَّهم متوغّلون في إنكار تحقّق ما أوعدوا به من حصول الوعيد واستسخارهم به ، فإنَّهم قالوا : { اللّهمّ إن كان هذا هو الحقّ من عندك فأمطر علينا حجارة من السّماء أو ائتنا بعذاب أليم } [ الأنفال : 32 ] إ فحاماً للرّسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وإظهاراً لتخلّف وعيده .وبناء { توعدون } للمجهول يصحح أن يكون الفعل مضارع وَعد يَعِد ، أو مضارع أوْعد ، يُوعد والمتبادر هو الأوّل . ومن بديع الفصاحة اختيار بنائه للمجهول ، ليصلح لفظه لحال المؤمنين والمشركين ، ولو بني للمعلوم لتعيّن فيه أحد الأمرين : بأن يقال : إنّ ما نعدكم ، أو إنّ ما نُوعدكم ، وهذا من بديع التّوجيه المقصود منه أن يأخذ منه كلّ فريق من السّامعين ما يليق بحاله ، ومعلوم أنّ وعيد المشركين يستلزم وعْداً للمؤمنين ، والمقصود الأهمّ هو وعيد المشركين ، فلذلك عقّب الكلام بقوله : { وما أنتم بمعجزين } فذلك كالتّرشيح لأحد المحتمَلين من الكلام الموجَّه .والإتيان مستعار للحصول تشبيها للشيء الموعودِ به المنتظر وقوعه بالشّخص الغائب المنتظرِ إتيانُه ، كما تقدّم في قوله تعالى : { قل أرأيتكم إن أتاكم عذابُ الله بغتة أو جهرة في هذه السورة .وحقيقة المُعجز هو الّذي يَجعل طالب شيءٍ عاجزاً عن نواله ، أي غير قادرين ، ويستعمل مجازاً في معنى الإفلات من تَناوُل طالبِه كما قال إياس بن قبيصَة الطائي: ... ألم تَرَ أنّ الأرضَ رحْب فسيحةفهَل تُعْجزَنِّي بُقعة من بِقاعها ... أي فلا تُفلت منّي بقعة منها لا يصل إليها العدوّ الّذي يطالبني . فالمعنى : وما أنتم بمعجزي أي : بمفلتين من وعيدي ، أو بخارجين عن قدرتي ، وهو صالح للاحتمالين .ومجيء الجملة اسميّة في قوله : وما أنتم بمعجزين } لإفادة الثّبات والدّوام ، في نسبة المسند للمسند إليه ، وهي نسبةُ نفيه عن المسند إليه ، لأنّ الخصوصيات الّتي تعتبر في حالة الإثبات تعتبر في حالة النّفي إذ النّفي إنَّما هو كيفيّة للنّسبة . والخصوصياتُ مقتضياتُ أحواللِ التّركيب ، وليس يختلف النّفي عن الإثبات إلاّ في اعتبار القيود الزائدة على أصل التّركيب ، فإنّ النّفي يعتبر متوجّهاً إليها خاصّة وَهي قيود مفاهيم المخالفة ، وإلاّ لبطلت خصوصيات كثيرة مفروضة مع الإثبات ، إذا صار الكلام المشتمل عليها منفياً ، مثل إفادة التجدّد في المسند الفعلي في قول جؤية بن النضر: ... لا يألفُ الدرهمُ المضروب صرّتَنالكن يمرّ عليها وهو منطق ... إذ لا فرق في إفادة التّجدّد بين هذا المصراع ، وبين أن تقول : ألِفَ الدّرهم صرّتنا . وكذلك قوله تعالى : { لاَ هُنّ حِلّ لهم ولا هُم يحِلّون لهنّ } [ الممتحنة : 10 ] فإنّ الأول يفيد أنّ نفي حِلّهنّ لهم حكم ثابت لا يختلف ، والثّاني يفيد أنّ نفي حِلّهم لهُنّ حكم متجدّد لا ينسخ ، فهما اعتباران ، وقد أشرت إلى بعض هذا عند تفسير قوله تعالى : { واللَّه لا يحبّ كلّ كفّار أثِيم } في سورة البقرة ( 276 ).

{ إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لَآتٍ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ } لله، فارين من عقابه، فإن نواصيكم تحت قبضته، وأنتم تحت تدبيره وتصرفه.

قوله تعالى إن ما توعدون لآت وما أنتم بمعجزينقوله تعالى إن ما توعدون لآت يحتمل أن يكون من " أوعدت " في الشر ، والمصدر [ ص: 81 ] الإيعاد . والمراد عذاب الآخرة . ويحتمل أن يكون من " وعدت " على أن يكون المراد الساعة التي في مجيئها الخير والشر فغلب الخير . روي معناه عن الحسن .وما أنتم بمعجزين أي فائتين ; يقال : أعجزني فلان ، أي فاتني وغلبني .

In the life of this world we see that there is a difference between the status of one man and another. This difference is exactly in proportion to the efforts made and the struggle engaged in by each of them. A man’s wisdom, his diligence and accommodation of interests will determine the degree of his success in this life. The same state of affairs exists in the case of the Hereafter. In the Hereafter also, the award of status will relate exactly to the deeds performed by human beings in the world. A man has to spend time and money on the Hereafter also, just as he spends time and money on the world. In the matter of the Hereafter, too, he has to behave wisely, as he has been behaving in the world; he has to look after his interests and take care of delicate situations, just as he had been doing in the world. God, in whose hands lies the power of taking decisions in the Hereafter, is fully aware of the condition of each and every individual. It will not be difficult for Him to give everyone whatever he is entitled to. Through this world of trial which God has created, He has opened the door to immense and valuable possibilities for man, who by performing good deeds in the short temporary life of this world, can earn superlative rewards in the eternal life of the Hereafter. There is no benefit to God in this system. If the present generation does not accept God’s creation plan. He can raise in their place others who will accept His creation plan and enlist themselves in its support. Even the sands of the desert and the leaves of the trees can be raised by Him as His faithful subjects. In a world based entirely on Truth and Justice, the fact that freedom is enjoyed by tyrants and arrogant people as well as virtuous people, in itself proves that this freedom is not by way of reward but by way of trial. One who refuses to accept the Truth and still does not apparently lose anything, should not brag about his apparent good fortune, for this condition is purely temporary. Very soon the time will come when everything on the strength of which he behaved with arrogance, will be taken away from him. And he will be pushed towards eternal destruction, from which he will never be able to emerge, and where he will have the opportunity neither to perform good deeds nor to save himself from the final result of his misdeeds.

After having established in the first verse that Allah is All-Independent (Ghaniyy), Master of Mercy (Dhur-Rahmah) and All-Powerful too, the text carries a warning given to disobedient people: إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لَآتٍ ۖ وَمَا أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ ﴿134﴾: Surely what you are promised [ that is, the Divine punishment ] is bound to come, and you cannot frustrate [ it ].' Another method to awaken them from their heedlessness was adopted in the third verse (135) where it was said: قُلْ يَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّي عَامِلٌ ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ‌ ۗ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ ﴿135﴾ (Say, "0 my people, do at your place (whatever you do) I am to do (in my way). So, you will know for whom is the ultimate abode. Surely, the unjust shall not be successful). This is addressed to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . He is being asked to tell those people of his in Makkah that the choice of not accepting what he is saying is theirs. Let them not accept it, stay as they are and keep on doing what their belief and hostility tell them to do - and he too will keep on doing what his belief tells him to do. In that, there was no loss for him. But, very soon, they will be the ones to find out who will be blessed with the ultimate salvation and success of the Hereafter. And, in this, let them not forget that the Zalim, the unjust, the usurpers of rights, never succeed.

(Lo! that which ye are promised) of torment (will surely come to pass, and ye cannot escape) such a torment, for it will reach wherever you are.