'The One who created' means He determined and brought into existence. When fear of inflicting pain is more likely to lead to submission, as it is a clearer indication of sovereignty, despite the fact that the original state of things is non-existence, He preceded His saying: 'the death' which refers to this kind, and it is the cessation of life from the living being who is fully capable of change, by making him immobile as if he had never had any movement at all. The first thing that will be done in that abode after every group settles in its dwelling is that this kind will cease to exist, and it will be slaughtered after being formed in the shape of a ram. 'And life' means this kind, which is the meaning by which the inanimate is enabled to change by itself and by will. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Death was created by Allah in the shape of a white ram that does not pass by anything without it dying, and life is in the shape of a horse with a meeting, which is what Gabriel and the prophets used to ride, and nothing finds its scent except that it becomes alive. It is what the Samaritan took a handful of its trace and threw it onto the jewelry that the Children of Israel threw, intending for it to become a calf. When He mentioned the indicator of power, He followed it with its purpose, which is the judgment that is specific to kings. So He, the Exalted, said: 'To test you' meaning He treats you, and He knows you better than yourselves, with the treatment of the tester to reveal what you have of actions by choice. 'Which of you is best in action' means regarding the action, meaning whose action is better than the action of others. The expression of the Qur'an in attributing goodness to man indicates that whoever's action is better is indeed better, even if he is the ugliest of people in appearance. And whoever's action is worse is contrary to that. Goodness is only recognized by the law; what the law deems good is good, and what it deems bad is bad. This is beneficial for the performance of obedience because whoever reflects on his state knows that he is distinct from the rest of the animals by reason, and from plants by his life, and from inanimate things by his growth. And that is not from himself, as evidenced by his death. What he has is only by a chosen doer, who has life from himself, so he strives for His pleasure by following His messengers if he is rational. He thanks Him when He bestows favors, and he is patient if he is tested and avenged. He serves Him with what He commanded and refrains from what He prohibited. This verse encompasses the existence of the requirement for happiness and the absence of what prevents it, and the existence of the requirement is preparation and guidance. Preparation is His assistance, glorified is He, to the servant by preparing him to accept happiness, like the blacksmith who softens iron with fire so that it can become a knife. Guidance is taking him by the forelock to what He has prepared for him, like striking with the knife and making it suitable for cutting. The absence of the preventer is the stopping of that, which is the removal of distractions and corruptions, like the dullness of the knife, and the cause runs and the cause of the cause, which is what His saying includes.

'O Allah, help me and do not help against me.' The hadith mentions this for the completeness of power and might. Along with the mention of the Most Beautiful, it indicates His guidance by what He has mentioned. Whoever reflects on the verse knows that He did not create so that His essence would be distinguished from the truth of others or His truth from the essence of others. And that this world is a field, and the Hereafter is the harvest. Thus, he becomes aware of himself with insight. His will arises for what He has created for him, sometimes by looking at the beauty of his Lord from goodness and kindness, and at other times by looking at His majesty from power and capability. Sometimes he looks at himself with compassion for it from the disgrace of deprivation. Therefore, he strives for the pleasure of his Lord and the righteousness of his soul, fearing the consequence of this trial. (p-222) And since only the ignorant of the consequences and the incapable of preventing the wrongdoer from his wrongdoing can be heedless of the trial, he said, negating this from His exalted majesty after He negated it with His subtle planning and great command in [the creation of] death and life. He removes it by describing might for what one who is strong in determination might say: 'I do not need great effort to reach Him, glorified is He, but I can reach Him anytime [I wish] with the easiest striving.' And He is, in fact, the One who is very difficult to reach, from might, which is the difficult place that overcomes everything and is not overcome by anything. If He wanted to make everyone good-doers, it would only be so if He is fully capable, thus necessitating the completeness of knowledge, unity, and the necessity of existence eternally and forever. And since the Mighty among us destroys everyone who opposes Him if He knows of their opposition, He said, clarifying His delaying of the sinners, encouraging the wrongdoer to repent after terrifying him from persisting in sin. This is because he may be disparaging of himself, saying: 'Someone like me is not fit for service due to my severing sins. And where is the dust from [the Lord of] lords?' ﴿The Forgiving﴾, meaning that despite this, He acts in erasing sins in essence and effect, like the one who is excessive in that. And He receives whoever turns to Him with the best reception, as (p-223) He said in the sacred hadith: 'And whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running.'