“Let the man of means spend according to his means; and whoever’s provision is restricted, let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what He has given it. Allah will bring about ease after hardship (7). How many a town rebelled against the command of its Lord and His messengers, so We called it to a severe account and punished it with a dreadful punishment (8). Thus it tasted the evil consequence of its affair, and the outcome of its affair was loss (9). Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. So fear Allah, O people of understanding who believe. Allah has sent down to you a Reminder (10): a Messenger reciting to you Allah’s clear verses, so that he may bring those who believe and do righteous deeds out of darkness into light. Whoever believes in Allah and does what is righteous, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Allah has indeed granted him an excellent provision (11).”
“Let the man of means spend according to his means”: according to the extent of his wealth. “And whoever’s provision is restricted, let him spend from what Allah has given him”: that is, from the wealth He has given him. “Allah does not burden a soul,” in respect of maintenance, “beyond what He has given it”: that is, the wealth He has bestowed upon it. “Allah will bring about ease after hardship”: after constraint and difficulty, He will bring wealth and abundance.
His saying, Exalted is He, “How many a town rebelled”: that is, disobeyed and transgressed “against the command of its Lord and His messengers”—meaning, the command of His messengers—“so We called it to a severe account”: through exacting scrutiny and exhaustive examination. Muqatil said: He called it to account for its deeds in this world, then requited it with punishment. This is the meaning of His saying, “and punished it with a dreadful punishment”: an abhorrent and terrible punishment, namely the punishment of the Fire. Both expressions are phrased in the past tense, though their intended meaning is future.
It is also said that the verse involves inversion in its sequence. Its meaning is: We punished it in this world with hunger, drought, the sword, and every other affliction; and We shall call it to a severe account in the Hereafter. “Thus it tasted the evil consequence of its affair”: the requital for its conduct. It is also said: the grave consequence of its disbelief. “And the outcome of its affair was loss”: loss in this world and the Hereafter. “Allah has prepared for them a severe punishment. So fear Allah, O people of understanding who believe. Allah has sent down to you a Reminder”: that is, the Quran.
“A Messenger” is in apposition to “a Reminder.” It is also said that the meaning is: He has sent down to you a Quran and sent a Messenger. It is also said: a Quran along with the Messenger. And it is said that “the Reminder” is the Messenger.
It is also said that “a Reminder” means an honour. He then explained what it was, saying: “A Messenger reciting to you Allah’s clear verses, so that he may bring those who believe and do righteous deeds out of darkness into light. Whoever believes in Allah and does what is righteous, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Allah has indeed granted him an excellent provision”—that is, Paradise, whose bliss never comes to an end.