Commentary
And when this was a call to their punishment, and their description with the blessing implied that they were accustomed to good food, and the prevention of delicious food for one who is used to it does not reach the level of harming the soul as it does the body except after a prior humiliation, he began his words clarifying the type of what the threat implied from absolute punishment. He confirmed for the sake of their denial: "Indeed," and indicated the severity of its strangeness, its majesty, its greatness, and its specificity. Its presence was confirmed by his saying: "With Us" instead of "At Us." And when the greatest thing upon a person is the prevention of what he desires from being at ease with movements, he mentioned what opposes what they are in of blessing and honor: "Chains," the plural of ankāl with a kasra, which is the heavy chain that is never loosened, as a humiliation for them, not out of fear of their escape. This is a recompense for their binding [themselves] with desires from following the caller and their ease in walking in the expanse of desires. And when that was burning for the inner self, he followed it with the burning of the outer self and said: "And a blazing fire," meaning a very hot fire, intensely ignited by what they were bound by from cooling drinks, and the enjoyment of fine clothing and garments, and the striving for various comforts.
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