Surah Al-Qamar (The Moon): (21) "Then how [terrible] was My punishment and My warnings."

The interpretation of this has already preceded. The repetition is for emphasis.

In the phrase: {My punishment and My warnings} (عَذَابِي وَنُذُرِ) there is a subtle point that we have not mentioned. It is established through a question and answer:

If someone were to ask: "Most exegetes agree that Nudhur (warnings) in this context is the plural of Nadhīr (a warning), meaning the act of warning (the verbal noun). So, what is the wisdom in unifying the punishment, as He did not say: 'How [terrible] were the types of My punishment and the calamity of My warnings'?"

We would reply: There is an indication here of the predominance of Mercy over Wrath. This is because warning (إنذار) is compassion and mercy. Therefore, He is saying: The warnings, which are blessings and mercy, came repeatedly. When they were not beneficial, the punishment descended all at once. Thus, the blessings were numerous, but the retribution was singular.

We will clarify this further when we interpret His saying, the Exalted: {Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?} (Ar-Rahman: 13), where He unified the favors (الآلاء) and repeated their mention thirty times.

Then, Allah, the Exalted, explained the situation of another people, saying:

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