And when their saying was once, "If only a sign were sent down to him," in amazement, he brought forth after informing them of their loss something more amazing than that. It is their continued haste for that which they have no power over of Allah's punishment. So He said: ﴿And they urge you﴾ meaning: they request your hastening at all times ﴿for the punishment﴾ and they make its delay a pretext for them in what they claim of denial. ﴿And were it not for a specified term﴾ which He has set for the time of their punishment, there would be no advance in it nor delay. ﴿The punishment would have come to them﴾ at the time of their hastening, because the power is complete and the knowledge is encompassing.

And when this made clear to him that it must come to them, he stated it in his saying, affirming a response to their mockery which includes denial: ﴿And it will surely come to them﴾. Then he made it terrifying with his saying: ﴿Suddenly﴾ and he affirmed its meaning with his saying: ﴿While they perceive not﴾. Rather, they are in the utmost heedlessness of it and are preoccupied with that which makes them forget it.