Fear what is before you and what is behind you, as His saying, 'Have they not seen what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth?' And from Mujahid: what has preceded of your sins and what has come after. And from Qatadah: what is before you of the events that have passed, meaning like the events that the nations who denied their prophets were tested with, and what is behind you of the matter of the Hour, so that you may be shown mercy, to be in hope of Allah's mercy. And the response to 'if' is omitted, indicated by His saying, 'except they were turning away from it,' as if He said: And when it is said to them, 'Fear,' they turn away. Then He said: Their habit is to turn away at every sign and admonition.