and by day. The Arabs, by way of idiomatic extension, attribute an action to the night and the day, as the poet said:

“I slept, while the night of the riding-camels did not sleep.” (1)

It was also said that the plotting of night and day refers to prolonged well-being and long hopes during them, as Allah Most High says: “But the passage of time became prolonged for them, so their hearts hardened.” (Surah al-Hadid 57:16)

“When you commanded us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up rivals with Him.” “And they will conceal”—that is, they will manifest—“their remorse.” It was also said that they will conceal it; the word may bear both opposite meanings. “When they see the punishment, and We shall place shackles around the necks of those who disbelieved”—in the Fire, upon both the followers and those followed alike. “Will they be recompensed for anything other than what they used to do?”—namely, the disbelief and acts of disobedience they committed in this world.

“And We never sent a warner to any town but its affluent ones said, ‘Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.’ And they said, ‘We have greater wealth and more children, and we shall not be punished.’ Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord grants provision abundantly to whom He wills and restricts it, but most people do not know.’” (34–36)

“And We never sent a warner to any town but its affluent ones said”—that is, its leaders and wealthy people—“‘Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.’” “And they said”—meaning that the affluent said to the poor who believed—“‘We have greater wealth and more children.’ Had Allah not been pleased with the religion and deeds upon which we stand, He would not have granted us wealth and children. “‘And we shall not be punished’”: that is, Allah has treated us well in this world by granting us wealth and children, so He will not punish us. “Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord grants provision abundantly to whom He wills and restricts it’”: that is, Allah expands provision and restricts it as a trial and test.