Tafseer Ibn Kathir of FUSHSHILAT [40]

40. Verily, those who Yulhiduna Fi Our Ayat are not hidden from Us. Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection Do what you will. Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do. 41. Verily, those who disbelieved in the Reminder when it came to them. And verily, it is an honorable well-fortified respected Book. 42. Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise. 43. Nothing is said to you except what was said to the Messengers before you. Verily, your Lord is the Possessor of forgiveness, and (also) the Possessor of painful punishment.

(Verily, Yulhiduna Fi Our Ayat) Ibn `Abbas said, ”Al-Ilhad means putting words in their improper places.'' Qatadah and others said, ”It means disbelief and obstinate behavior.''

(are not hidden from Us.) This is a stern warning and dire threat, stating that He, may He be exalted, knows who denies His signs, Names and attributes, and He will punish them for that. He says:

(Is he who is cast into the Fire better or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection) means, are these two equal They are not equal. Then Allah warns the disbelievers:

(Do what you will.) Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that

(Do what you will. ) is a threat. Meaning, `do what you will of good or evil, for He knows and sees all that you do.' He says:

(Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do.)

(Verily, those who disbelieved in the Reminder when it came to them.) Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and Qatadah said, ”This is the Qur'an.''

(And verily, it is an honorable well-fortified respected Book.) means, it is protected and preserved, and nobody can produce anything like it.

(Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it,) means, there is no way to corrupt it, because it has been sent down by the Lord of the worlds. Allah says:

((it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) meaning, He is Wise in all that He says and does, Praiseworthy in all that He commands and forbids; everything that He does is for praiseworthy purposes and its consequences will be good.

(Nothing is said to you except what was said to the Messengers before you.) Qatadah, As-Suddi and others said, ”Nothing is said to you by way of rejection and disbelief, that was not said to the Messengers who came before you. Just as you have been rejected, they were also rejected. Just as they bore their people's insults with patience, so too you must bear your people's insults with patience.''

(Verily, your Lord is the Possessor of forgiveness,) means, for those who turn to Him in repentance.

(and (also) the Possessor of painful punishment.) means, for those who persist in disbelief, transgression and stubborn opposition.