And he did not explain what follows that; because the one who fears is one who permits incapacity. So Allah, the Most High, said: ﴿Or He takes them﴾; meaning: Allah; a taking of wrath; ﴿for fear﴾; from them of punishment; and a precaution from what befell those before them; from the punishment of extermination. It is permissible that what has passed refers to the punishment of extermination; and with this taking gradually; for fear is the diminishment among Hudhayl. It has been narrated that Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - asked the people about it; and they were silent. Then an old man from Hudhayl answered him that it is the diminishment. Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - said: 'Do the Arabs know that in their poetry?' He said: 'Yes.' Our poet; Abu Kathir al-Hudhali; describes a she-camel:

The caravan fears from her a complete and swift one ∗∗∗ as the ship fears the return of the spring.

Then Umar - may Allah be pleased with him - said: 'O people; you must adhere to your diwan so that you do not go astray.' They said: 'And what is our diwan?' He said: 'The poetry of the pre-Islamic era; for in it is the explanation of your Book; and the meanings of your words.'

And when the estimation was: 'They did not feel secure of that in the matter itself'; but their ignorance of Allah - due to His long patience; and His forbearance - deceived them. This caused him to say - turning to the address; in a plea -: ﴿For indeed your Lord﴾; meaning: the One who is gracious to you by destroying whom He wills; and preserving whom He wills; ﴿is certainly kind﴾; meaning: profound in mercy for whoever seeks to Him with a type of means; and likewise for whoever cuts off from Him, He completes the severance. And to Him He referred with His saying (the Most High): ﴿Merciful﴾; meaning: so it resulted from His delaying them in their disbelief; and their transgression; while having power over them; the knowledge that leaving them to confront them is only for His kindness; and His mercy.