And when he mentioned what has been prepared for them from the Hereafter; and they were during their period of disbelief like mute animals; they look only at the present particulars; he frightened them with what they do in this world; so he said - as a way of beginning to answer one who says: 'Will they be punished in this world?' -: "Those who denied"; and he indicated the proximity of the time of the punished to their time; by including the neighbor; so he said: "before them"; meaning: like the people of Saba and the people of Tubba; and their like; "so the punishment came to them"; and their matter was easy for us; and he indicated that their caution did not avail them; by saying: "from where"; meaning: from the direction of; "they do not perceive"; that punishment comes from it; he made its coming from their place of safety; so that would be more painful for the punished; and it indicated the power by showing that it is equal to Him (glorified and exalted is He) to bring the punishment from a direction that is expected; and from a direction that is not expected to come from it any evil; let alone what they were taken by; rather, nothing is expected from it except good.