His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Thus We have made it enter into the hearts of the criminals. They do not believe in it until they see the painful punishment. Then it will come to them suddenly while they are not aware. And they will say, 'Are we to be given respite?'" "So do they hasten Our punishment?" "Have you considered if We give them enjoyment for years? Then comes to them what they were promised? What will avail them that which they enjoyed?" "And We did not destroy any city except that it had warners." "A reminder, and We were not unjust." The reference by "that" is to what is established for the listener of the preceding verses regarding the certainty that they will not believe. This is His saying, the Most High: "And if We had sent it down upon one of the non-Arabs" [Ash-Shu'ara: 198]. And "We have made it enter" means: We have made it enter, and the pronoun in it refers to the disbelief that is implied in His saying: "What they were not believing in" [Ash-Shu'ara: 199], as Al-Hasan said. Al-Rummani said: There is no reason for this except that it was not mentioned, and rather the pronoun refers to the Qur'an and its being brought to mind. Al-Zahrawi narrated that the pronoun refers to the denial that is understood, and Al-Thalabi narrated it. Ibn Mas'ud read: "Thus We have made it in hearts," and it was narrated from him: "We make it." And "the criminals" refers to the criminals of every nation, meaning that this is the custom of Allah, blessed and exalted is He, with them that they do not believe until they see the punishment. So their belief will not benefit them after the punishment has befallen them. This is in the context of an example for the Quraysh, meaning: these are like that. And the unseen was revealed of what this verse contains on the day of Badr. The majority read: "Then it will come to them" with a ya, meaning: the punishment. Al-Hasan read: "Then it will come to them" with a ta from above, meaning the Hour. And in the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka'b: "Then they will see it suddenly," and from the saying of every punished nation: "Are we to be given respite?" meaning: delayed. And this is in the context of their wishing and desire, while desire will not benefit them. Then the wording of the verse returned to reproaching the Quraysh for their hastening the punishment of Allah, the Most High, in their asking for the sky to fall upon them in pieces and other than that, and their saying to Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him: Where is what you promise us? Meaning: it is not appropriate for them because Our punishment is in wait when its time comes. Then He addressed Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, by establishing the proof against them that the period of postponement and delay does not mean the prevention of the punishment descending after it, and the occurrence of the retribution, and that is in His saying: "Have you considered" the verse. Ibn 'Ikrimah said: "Years" means: the lifespan of this world, and Abu Ja'far Al-Mansur has a story regarding this verse. Then He informed, blessed and exalted is He, that He did not destroy any city from the cities except after sending one to warn them of the punishment of Allah, the Most High, as a reminder for them and a sight and establishing proof; "So that there will be no excuse for the people against Allah after the messengers" [An-Nisa: 165]. And "reminder" according to Al-Kisai is in the accusative case as an adverbial qualifier, and it is correct that it be in the accusative as a verbal noun, and this is the saying of Al-Zajjaj. And it is correct that it be in the nominative case as a subject, its estimation being: That is a reminder. Then He negated from His side, exalted and majestic is He, injustice; for it is something that does not befit Him.