Tafseer Ibn Kathir of YUNUS [46]

46. Whether We show you some of what We promise them (the torment), or We cause you to die -- still unto Us is their return, and moreover Allah is Witness over what they used to do. 47. And for every Ummah there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes, the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be wronged. Allah said to His Messenger :

(Whether We show you some of what We promise them (the torment),) We shall avenge them in your lifetime so your eye will be delighted.

(Or We cause you to die -- still unto Us is their return,) Allah will then be the Witness watching over their actions for you. Allah then said,

(And for every Ummah there is a Messenger; when their Messenger comes,) Mujahid said: ”This will be on the Day of Resurrection.

(the matter will be judged between them with justice,) is similar to the Ayah:

(And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord (Allah),) ï´¿39:69ï´¾ So every nation will be presented before Allah in the presence of its Messenger and the Book of its deeds. All good and evil deeds will be witnessed upon them. Their guardian angels will be witnesses too. The nations will be brought forth, one by one. Our noble Ummah, while it is the last of the nations, is the first one on the Day of Resurrection to be questioned and judged. This was stated by Allah's Messenger in a Hadith recorded by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Allah's Messenger said:

(We are the last, the first on the Day of Resurrection. We will be judged before the rest of the creatures.) His Ummah attains the honor of precedence only by the honor of its Messenger , may Allah's peace and blesings be upon him forever, until the Day of Judgement.