the polytheists who deny all this. Their case more closely resembles that of the Jahmiyyah, who say that Allah does not come. Hence He says:

“Wait; we too are waiting. (158)” [al-An‘ām 158]

He thus threatens and warns them of the coming of this very thing they deny, as in His words, Most High:

“These are awaiting nothing but a single blast, allowing no respite. (15)” [Sād 15]

Furthermore, waiting may be deliberate—as this founder claimed that the Jews deliberately awaited Allah’s coming in canopies of clouds in this world—or it may not be deliberate, just as the polytheists did not deliberately await what Allah promised concerning the Day of Resurrection, the coming of Allah and the angels, and other such things.

In the first case, the objection would be expressed as, “Does he await this?” or “How can he await this?” or “Do we suppose that this will occur?” It would not take an exclusive form meaning, “He awaits nothing but this.” For such a person has many other things in mind that he awaits besides this. It is therefore inappropriate to say, “He awaits nothing but this,” when he is awaiting other things as well.

In the second case, however, it is fitting to address him using an exclusive formulation, because he awaits things that have no reality. He is like the one of whom it was said:

“Yet he desires that I should give him more. (15) No indeed!” [al-Muddaththir 15–16]

And the one of whom He said:

“Have you seen the one who disbelieves in Our signs and says, ‘I will surely be given wealth and children’? (77) Has he gained knowledge of the unseen, or taken a covenant from the Most Merciful? (78)”