Thus, this is an account of what He has said, or what He has said and written. This is the decree, which entails that He has determined what He will do, known it, and written it down. The scriptural texts abundantly attest that Allah determined the destinies of His creatures fifty thousand years before creating the heavens and the earth. His decree encompasses His knowledge of what will occur and His will that what He has decreed—and knows He will create—should come into existence.

A statement may be a declaration, or it may carry the force of a demand, urging or restraining through an oath, or through what He has prescribed for Himself, as in His words:

“Your Lord has prescribed mercy for Himself.”

And His words:

“It was incumbent upon Us to help the believers.”

And His words:

“O My servants, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another.”

As for His words:

“But the word of punishment has become binding against the disbelievers,”

this applies specifically to the disbelievers. It is the threat of punishment that entails recompense for deeds, as when He, exalted be He, said to Iblīs:

“I will surely fill Hell with you and all those among them who follow you.”

And His words:

“Had it not been for a prior word from your Lord and an appointed term, it would have been inevitable.”

That is, their punishment has an appointed time: either the Day of Resurrection, a time in this world such as the day of Badr, or immediately after death. All three interpretations have been mentioned concerning this verse. Thus, were it not for a prior word from your Lord postponing it until an appointed time, the punishment would have been inevitable—that is, inescapable for them. For the grounds warranting it are fully present: their disbelief.