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- “Let not those who disbelieve think that they have escaped. Indeed, they cannot elude Him.”
That is, those who disbelieve in their Lord and deny His signs must not think that they have outstripped Allah and escaped Him. They cannot elude Him, and Allah lies in wait for them.
Allah has consummate wisdom in granting them respite and not hastening their punishment. Part of that wisdom is to try and test His believing servants, enabling them to increase their provision of obedience to Him and deeds pleasing to Him, by which they attain lofty stations, and to acquire character traits and qualities that they could not otherwise have attained. For this reason, He said to His believing servants:
﴿٥٩﴾ ﴿وَلا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَبَقُوا إِنَّهُمْ لا يُعْجِزُونَ﴾ .
أي: لا يحسب الكافرون بربهم المكذبون بآياته، أنهم سبقوا الله وفاتوه، فإنهم لا يعجزونه، والله لهم بالمرصاد.
وله تعالى الحكمة البالغة في إمهالهم وعدم معاجلتهم بالعقوبة، التي من جملتها ابتلاء عباده المؤمنين وامتحانهم، وتزودهم من طاعته ومراضيه، ما يصلون به المنازل العالية، واتصافهم بأخلاق وصفات لم يكونوا بغيره بالغيها، فلهذا قال لعباده المؤمنين: