“He will precede his people on the Day of Resurrection and lead them into the Fire. What a wretched place to which they are led! * They were pursued in this”—meaning, in this world—“by a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection.” That is, Allah, His angels, and all people curse them in this world and the Hereafter.

“What a wretched gift to be given!” That is, how wretched is what has accumulated for them and come upon them in succession: Allah’s punishment and the curse of this world and the Hereafter.

After recounting the stories of these nations and their messengers, Allah Most High said to His Messenger: “These are accounts of the towns that We relate to you,” so that you may warn by means of them, that they may serve as a sign of your prophethood, and as an admonition and reminder for the believers.

“Some of them are still standing”: they have not vanished; rather, remnants of their dwellings remain as evidence of them. “And” some of them have been “mown down”: their homes have collapsed and their dwellings have disappeared, leaving no trace.

“We did not wrong them” by subjecting them to various punishments, “but they wronged themselves” through polytheism, disbelief, and obstinate defiance.

“Their gods whom they invoked besides Allah were of no avail to them when your Lord’s command came.” Likewise, anyone who seeks refuge in other than Allah will derive no benefit from it when hardships descend.

“They only increased them in ruin”—that is, in loss and destruction, contrary to what they had imagined.

“102” “Such is your Lord’s seizure when He seizes towns steeped in wrongdoing. His seizure is indeed painful and severe.”

That is, He crushes and annihilates them with punishment, and those whom they invoked besides Allah are of no avail to them whatsoever.

“In that”—namely, what has been mentioned of His seizure ⦗390⦘ of the wrongdoers through various punishments—“there is surely a sign for anyone who fears the punishment of the Hereafter.” That is, it is a lesson and evidence that the people of wrongdoing and crime will suffer punishment both in this world and in the Hereafter. He then moved from this to a description of the Hereafter, saying: “That is a Day for which mankind will be gathered.” That is, they will be assembled for that Day to receive their recompense, and there will become manifest to them such aspects of Allah’s greatness, sovereignty, and perfect justice as will enable them to know Him as He truly deserves to be known.

“And that is a Day witnessed”—that is, Allah, His angels, and all created beings will witness it.

“We delay it only until an appointed term”—that is, the coming of the Day of Resurrection. When the term of this world ends and all the creatures Allah has decreed for it have come into existence, He will then transfer them to the abode of the Hereafter and subject them to His judgments of recompense, just as He subjected them in this world to His revealed rulings.

“On the Day it comes,” when that Day arrives and all creation is assembled, “no soul will speak except by His permission.” Even the prophets and the noble angels will intercede only with His permission. “Among them”—that is, among creation—“will be the wretched and the blessed.” The wretched are those who disbelieved in Allah, denied His messengers, and disobeyed His command, while the blessed are the God-fearing believers.

As for their recompense: “As for those who are wretched”—that is, those upon whom wretchedness, disgrace, and humiliation have come—“they will be in the Fire,” immersed in its torment and suffering its severe punishment. “Therein they will have,” because of the intensity of their condition, “groaning and wailing,” the most hideous and repulsive of sounds.

“They will remain therein”—that is, in the Fire whose torment is as described—“as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills.” That is, they will remain there forever, except for the period during which Allah wills them not to be there, namely, before they enter it, as stated by the majority of Quran commentators. According to this interpretation, the exception refers to the time before their entry into it. Thus, they will remain there for all time except the period preceding their entry.

“Your Lord surely does whatever He wills.” Whatever He wills to do and His wisdom requires, He does—blessed and exalted is He—and no one can turn Him away from His purpose.

“As for those who are blessed”—that is, those who attain happiness, prosperity, and triumph—“they will be in Paradise, remaining therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills.” He then emphasized this by saying: “A gift never to be cut off.” That is, the enduring bliss and sublime delight Allah grants them will last perpetually and continuously, never ceasing at any time. We ask Allah, the Generous, for His bounty.