Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MURSALAAT [16]

16. Did We not destroy the ancients 17. So shall We make later generations to follow them. 18. Thus do We deal with the criminals. 19. Woe that Day to the deniers! 20. Did We not create you from a despised water 21. Then We placed it in a place of safety, 22. For a known period 23. So We did measure; and We are the best to measure. 24. Woe that Day to the deniers! 25. Have We not made the earth Kifat (a receptacle) 26. For the living and the dead 27. And have placed therein fixed towers, and have given you Furat water 28. Woe that Day to the deniers! Allah says,

(Did We not destroy the ancients) meaning, those who rejected the Messengers and opposed what they came to them with.

(So shall We make later generations to follow them.) meaning, from those who are similar to them. Thus, Allah says,

(Thus do We deal with the criminals. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Ibn Jarir said this. Then Allah reminding His creatures of His favor, and using the beginning of creation to support the idea of repeating it, He says:

(Did We not create you from a despised water) meaning, weak and despised in comparison to the power of the Creator. This is similar to what has been reported in the Hadith of Busr bin Jahhash (that Allah says),

(”(O) Son of Adam ! How can you think that I am unable, and yet I created you from something like this (i.e., semen)'')

(Then We placed it in a place of safety,) meaning, `We gathered him in the womb, where the fluid of the man and the woman settles. The womb has been prepared for this, as a protector of the fluid deposited in it. Allah said:

(For a known period) meaning, for a fixed period of time, which is from six months to nine months. Thus, Allah says,

(So We did measure; and We are the best to measure. Woe that Day to the deniers!) Then Allah says,

(Have We not made the earth Kifat for the living and the dead) Ibn `Abbas said, ”Kifat means a place of shelter.'' Mujahid said, ”It holds the dead so that nothing is seen of it.'' Ash-Sha`bi said, ”Its interior is for your dead and its surface is for your living.'' Mujahid and Qatadah also said this.

(And have placed therein fixed towers,) meaning, the mountains. The earth is held in place with them so that it does not shake and sway.

(and have given you Furat water) meaning, cold and delicious water from the clouds or from what He causes to gush forth from the springs of the earth.

(Woe that Day to the deniers!) meaning, woe to whoever reflects upon these created things which demonstrate the greatness of their Creator, then after that continues to reject Him and disbelieve in Him.