And when He, glorified and exalted is He, completed what He informed His Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, as indicated by the expression concerning the Prophet, He began His matter with their response, a response to one who seemed to say: What should be said to them? And as a means of advising them through His tongue for what He is naturally inclined to out of compassion, ﴿Say﴾ meaning to them. And He confirmed their assumption of the benefit of fleeing: ﴿It will not benefit you﴾ meaning in delaying your lifespans at any time of times. ﴿Fleeing﴾ meaning that which your seeking permission was only due to it. ﴿If you flee from death﴾ meaning without an enemy ﴿or killing﴾ because if the appointed time has come, it will not be delayed by fleeing, and otherwise, steadfastness will not shorten it, as Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say: When the matter overwhelms, and the ember ignites, and the heat of war intensifies, which day of death should I flee? The day that cannot be escaped or the day that is destined? This is because Allah's appointed time, which He has set, encompasses man, and he cannot surpass it at all. ﴿And if﴾ meaning and if you flee.

And when they intended by living nothing but enjoyment, He clarified that by building for the unknown and said: ﴿You will not be granted enjoyment﴾ meaning enjoyment that is exaggerated as you desire with what remains of your lives if there remains anything of it ﴿except a little﴾. Rather, the enemy will be able to reach you from your backs, and from your wealth, and your lineage, and your homes, and will corrupt whatever he is able to from that, and you will not be able to recover it except after a long time and great effort, unlike if you remained steadfast in fulfilling the covenant and preserving the praise, so you would meet the peers and contend with the knights, relying on your Lord and obeying your Prophet. For if the appointed time has come, that will not diminish anything from you, and you will die as noble and honored ones, and if not, you will attain victory, and you will gain the reward, and you will live with the most complete blessing until the end of your life. For steadfastness is more lasting for the souls and more protective of the joyful living.