“Say, ‘Travel through the earth and observe how those before you met their end. Most of them were polytheists.’” (42)

“So set your face steadfastly toward the upright religion before there comes from Allah a Day that cannot be averted. On that Day, they will be separated: (43) whoever disbelieves, his disbelief is to his own loss; and those who do righteous deeds are preparing for themselves, (44) so that He may reward, out of His bounty, those who believe and do righteous deeds. Indeed, He does not love the disbelievers. (45)

“And among His signs is that He sends the winds bearing good news, so that He may let you taste of His mercy, that the ships may sail by His command, that you may seek of His bounty, and that perhaps you may give thanks. (46)

“Indeed, We sent messengers before you to their peoples, and they came to them with clear proofs. Then We took vengeance upon those who committed crimes; and it was incumbent upon Us to aid the believers.” (47)

“Say, ‘Travel through the earth and observe how those before you met their end,’” so that you may see their dwellings and homes lying in ruin. “Most of them were polytheists,” that is, they were polytheists, and so they were destroyed because of their disbelief.

“So set your face steadfastly toward the upright religion,” the straight religion, which is the religion of Islam, “before there comes from Allah a Day that cannot be averted”—meaning the Day of Resurrection. No one has the power to avert it from Allah. “On that Day, they will be separated,” that is, divided: one party in Paradise and another party in the Blazing Fire.

“Whoever disbelieves, his disbelief is to his own loss,” meaning, the evil consequence of his disbelief. “And those who do righteous deeds are preparing for themselves”: they prepare and make smooth their resting places in their graves.

“So that He may reward, out of His bounty, those who believe and do righteous deeds.” Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “So that Allah may grant them a reward greater than the recompense for their deeds.” “Indeed, He does not love the disbelievers.”

Allah—exalted is He—says: “And among His signs is that He sends the winds bearing good news”: they bring glad tidings of rain. “So that He may let you taste of His mercy,” namely, the blessing of rain, which brings fertility; “that the ships may sail by His command,” through these winds; “that you may seek of His bounty,” seeking His provision through trade at sea; “and that perhaps you may give thanks” to the Lord of these blessings.

Allah—exalted is He—says: “Indeed, We sent messengers before you to their peoples, and they came to them with clear proofs,” with manifest evidences of their truthfulness. “Then We took vengeance upon those who committed crimes”: We punished those who denied them. “And it was incumbent upon Us to aid the believers,” and to save them from punishment. In this is glad tidings for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he would ultimately prevail and be granted victory over his enemies. Al-Hasan said: “He saved them, along with the messengers, from the punishment inflicted upon their peoples.”