Tafsir of Ibraheem 14:44-47

{The Day the punishment comes to them} This is the second object of the verb "warn." It refers to the Day of Resurrection.

{We delayed us to a near term} Meaning: "Return us to the world and grant us a short respite in time, so that we may rectify what we neglected regarding answering Your call and following Your messengers." Alternatively, the "Day" may refer to the day of their destruction by an immediate punishment, or the day of their death, while they are tormented by the severity of the death throes and the meeting with the angels without any glad tidings. They will ask on that day for their Lord to delay them to a near term, as in His saying: {If only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity} (Al-Munafiqun: 10).

{Did you not swear...} This implies the act of speaking. There are two interpretations:

1. That they said this out of arrogance and insolence, due to the habits of ignorance and foolishness that had overcome them.
2. That they said it through the "language of their state," as they built strongly and hoped for a long life.

{What for you...} This is the response to the oath. It is phrased in the second person because of the preceding {You swore}. If the text had narrated the actual words of the swearers, it would have been: "What for us {of decline}." The meaning is: "You swore that you would remain in the world, never to cease through death and annihilation." It is also said: "You will not move to another abode," meaning their disbelief in the Resurrection, as in: {And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths that Allah will not resurrect those who die} (An-Nahl: 38).

{And you dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged themselves} It is said: "He inhabited the house" (sakana ad-dār) and "He dwelt in it" (sakana fīhā). This is because suknā (dwelling) comes from sukūn (stillness/remaining). The original usage requires the preposition fī (in), like saying "he remained in the house" or "he stayed in it." However, when it was transferred to a specific type of dwelling, it was used transitively, so one says sakana ad-dār (he inhabited the house), just as one says tabawwa'ahā (he settled it) or awtanahā (he made it his home). It is also possible that sakanū comes from sukūn (stillness), meaning they settled therein and felt secure, content in their souls, following the path of those before them in injustice and corruption, not reflecting on what the predecessors encountered of the "Days of Allah" and how the end of their injustice turned out, so that they might take heed and desist.

{And it became clear to you} Through news and observation, {how} We destroyed them and took vengeance upon them. It is also recited as wa-nubayyinu lakum (And We make clear to you) with a nūn.

{And We set forth for you the parables} Meaning: the descriptions of what they did and what was done to them. In their strangeness, they are like the parables set forth for every oppressor.

{And they had planned their plan} Meaning: their great plan in which they exhausted their efforts.

{And with Allah is their plan} This is open to two interpretations:

1. It is genitive (possessive) to the subject, like the first: "Their plan is recorded with Allah," and He will recompense them for it with a plan that is greater.
2. It is genitive to the object: "With Allah is their plan" which He plans against them—namely, the punishment they deserve, which He brings upon them from where they do not perceive or expect.

{And if their plan was such that the mountains could be moved by it} Even if their plan was great and reached the peak of severity. The "moving of mountains" is a metaphor for its magnitude and intensity. Meaning: "Even if their plan was prepared to move mountains." I have taken in (if) to be negative and the lām to be emphatic, as in His saying: {And never would Allah have let your faith go to waste} (Al-Baqarah: 143). The meaning is: "It is impossible for the mountains to be moved by their plan." Furthermore, the mountains are a metaphor for the signs of Allah and His laws, because they are like firm, established mountains in their stability. This is supported by the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud: "And their plan was not..." It is also recited as li-tazūla (that they might move) with the lām of initiation, meaning: "Their plan was of such severity that the mountains would move and be uprooted from their places because of it." Ali and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) recited: wa-in kāda makruhum (And their plan was near to...).

{Never think that Allah will fail in His promise to His messengers} Meaning His saying: {Indeed, We will support Our messengers} (Ghafir: 51) and {Allah has written: "I will surely overcome, I and My messengers"} (Al-Mujadilah: 21). If you ask: "Why was it not said 'fail His messengers in His promise'? And why was the second object placed before the first?" I say: The promise was placed first so that it is known that He does not fail the promise at all, as in His saying: {Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise} (Ali 'Imran: 9). Then He said {His messengers} to indicate that if He does not fail anyone in His promise—and it is not His nature to fail promises—how could He fail His messengers, who are His chosen and elite? It is also recited as mukhlifa wa'dahu rusulahu (failing His promise to His messengers), with the messengers as the object and the promise as the accusative. This is weak, similar to the one who recited qatl awlādihim shurakā'uhum (the killing of their children by their partners).

{Exalted in Might} The Overcomer who cannot be out-planned.

{Owner of Retribution} For His allies against His enemies.