He denied their hastening regarding the promised punishment, whether immediate or delayed. It is as if he said: Why are they hastening it? As if they allow for its delay. This is only permissible for one who may be subject to a change of promise. And Allah, the Exalted and Almighty, does not change the appointed time. What He has promised will surely come to them, even if after a while. And He, glorified and exalted is He, is forbearing and does not hasten. From His forbearance, dignity, and the length of the time He allows, a single day with Him is like a thousand years. [Mahamud said: 'This indicates the forbearance of Allah, the Exalted, and His dignity, and the length of the time He allows, to the extent that a single day with Him is like a thousand years.' Ahmad said: 'Dignity combined with forbearance is understood in the language as the stillness and tranquility of the limbs during disturbances, and patience and deliberation, and similar attributes that can only be ascribed to Allah with evidence. As for the dignity in His saying: 'What is wrong with you that you do not hope for Allah's dignity?' it has been interpreted as greatness, so it is not from this context. In general, it is based on what has been firmly transmitted. ] In your view. And it was said: Its meaning is how can they hasten for punishment from a single day of His days, which is longer than a thousand years of your years, because the days of hardship are prolonged. Or as if that single day, due to the severity of its punishment, is like a thousand years of punishment. And it was said: Allah will not break His promise in granting respite and delay. And it was read: 'You count,' with a ت and a ي. Then he said: And how many a people of a town were like you, unjust, whom I granted respite for a while, then I seized them with punishment, and the return is to Me and to My judgment. If you say: Why was the first one connected with فاء, and this one with واو? I say: The first one was a substitute for the saying: 'So how was My denial?' As for this one, its ruling is like that of the previous two sentences connected with واو, namely the saying: 'And Allah will not break His promise, and indeed a day with your Lord is like a thousand years.'