How can You feel Secure against the Punishment of Allah while He is Able to seize You however He wills
This is another indication of His gentleness and His mercy with His creatures. He is able to punish them because some of them disbelieve in Him and worship others besides Him, yet He is forbearing, He pardons, and He gives respite for an appointed time without hastening. This is as He says,
[وَلَوْ يÙÂؤَاخÙÂذ٠اللَّه٠النَّاسَ بÙÂمَا كَسَبÙÂواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرÙÂهَا مÙÂن دَآبَّة٠وَلَـكÙÂن يÙÂؤَخّÙÂرÙÂهÙÂمْ Ø¥ÙÂلَى أَجَل٠مّÙÂسَمًّى ÙÂَإÙÂذَا جَآءَ أَجَلÙÂهÙÂمْ ÙÂَإÙÂنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بÙÂعÙÂبَادÙÂه٠بَصÙÂيراً ]
(And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth; but He gives them respite to an appointed term: and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever All-Seer of His servants.) [35:45] Here Allah says,
[أَءَمÙÂنتÙÂمْ مَّن ÙÂÙÂى السَّمَآء٠أَن يَخْسÙÂÙÂَ بÙÂكÙÂم٠الاٌّرْضَ ÙÂَإÙÂذَا هÙÂىَ تَمÙÂور٠]
(Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not cause the earth to sink with you, and then it should quake) meaning, that it would move back and forth, and be disrupted.
[أَمْ أَمÙÂنتÙÂمْ مّÙÂن ÙÂÙÂى السَّمَآء٠أَن يÙÂرْسÙÂلَ عَلَيْكÙÂمْ ØÂَـصÙÂباً]
(Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not send against you a Hasib) meaning, a wind containing gravel that will strike you, as Allah says in another Ayah,
[أَÙÂَأَمÙÂنتÙÂمْ أَن يَخْسÙÂÙÂَ بÙÂكÙÂمْ جَانÙÂبَ الْبَرّ٠أَوْ يÙÂرْسÙÂلَ عَلَيْكÙÂمْ ØÂَاصÙÂبًا Ø«ÙÂمَّ لاَ تَجÙÂدÙÂواْ لَكÙÂمْ وَكÙÂيلاً ]
(Do you then feel secure that He will not cause a side of the land to swallow you up, or that He will not send against you a violent sandstorm Then, you shall find no trustee.) [17:68] And similarly, here Allah threatens them with His statement,
[ÙÂَسَتَعْلَمÙÂونَ كَيْÙÂَ نَذÙÂيرÙÂ]
(Then you shall know how has been My warning.) meaning, `how is My admonition and what will happen to those who disregard and reject it.' Then Allah says,
[وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذÙÂينَ مÙÂن قَبْلÙÂهÙÂمْ]
(And indeed those before them rejected,) meaning, from the previous nations and the old generations that have passed. Then Allah says,
[ÙÂَكَيْÙÂَ كَانَ نَكÙÂيرÙÂ]
(then how terrible was My reproach) meaning, `how was My rebuke of them and my punishment of them.' Meaning, it was great, severe and painful.
