Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ASY SYUURA [47]

47. Answer the Call of your Lord before there comes from Allah a Day which cannot be averted. You will have no refuge on that Day nor there will be for you any denying. 48. But if they turn away, We have not sent you as a Hafiz over them. Your duty is to convey. And verily, when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us, he rejoices there at; but when some evil befalls them because of the deeds which their hands have sent forth, then verily, man (becomes) ingrate!   When Allah tells us about the horrors and terrifying events of the Day of Resurrection, He warns us about it and commands us to prepare for it:

(Answer the Call of your Lord before there comes from Allah a Day which cannot be averted.) means, once He issues the command, it will come to pass within the blinking of an eye, and no one will be able to avert it or prevent it.

(You will have no refuge on that Day nor there will be for you any denying.) means, you will have no stronghold in which to take refuge, no place in which to hide from Allah, for He will encompass you with His knowledge and power, and you will have no refuge from Him except with Him.

(On that Day man will say: ”Where (is the refuge) to flee'' No! There is no refuge! Unto your Lord will be the place of rest that Day.) (75:10-12)

(But if they turn away,) refers to the idolators,

(We have not sent you as a Hafiz over them. ) means, `you have no power over them.' And Allah says elsewhere:

(Not upon you is their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills) (2:272).

(your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning) (13:40). And Allah says here:

(Your duty is to convey.) meaning, `all that We require you to do is to convey the Message of Allah to them.'

(And verily, when We cause man to taste of mercy from Us, he rejoices there at;) means, when a time of ease and comfort comes to him, he is happy about it.

(but when befalls them) means mankind.

(some evil) means, drought, punishment, tribulation or difficulty,

(then verily, man (becomes) ingrate!) means, he forgets the previous times of ease and blessings and acknowledges nothing but the present moment. If times of ease come to him, he becomes arrogant and transgresses, but if any difficulty befalls him, he loses hope and is filled with despair. This is like what the Messenger of Allah said to the women:

)(O women, give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the people of Hell.) A woman asked, ”Why is that, O Messenger of Allah'' He said:

(Because you complain too much, and you are ungrateful to (your) husbands. If one of you were to be treated kindly for an entire lifetime, then that kindness was lacking for one day, she would say, `I have never seen anything good from you!') This is the case with most women, except for those whom Allah guides and who are among the people who believe and do righteous deeds. As the Prophet said, the believer is the one who:

(... if something good happens to him, he is thankful, and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not happen to anyone except the believer.)