From before you is related to Our command, or to those who were given the Book. And you is an addition to those who were given the Book, a name for the category that includes the heavenly books. That you should be conscious of Allah means to be conscious of Him. And the 'that' is explanatory, because the recommendation is in the meaning of the saying: And His saying, 'And if you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah.' is an addition to 'be conscious of Him': because the meaning is: We commanded them and We commanded you to be conscious of Allah, and We said to them and to you: If you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah. The meaning is: Indeed, Allah has all of creation; He is their Creator, their Owner, and the Bestower of all kinds of blessings upon them. Therefore, it is His right to be obeyed among His creation and not disobeyed. They should be conscious of His punishment and hope for His reward. And We have indeed recommended those who were given the Book from the previous nations, and We have recommended you to be conscious of Allah, meaning it is an ancient recommendation that Allah continues to advise His servants with; you are not exclusive in this, because through piety they find happiness with Him, and through it they attain salvation in the end. And We said to them and to you: And if you disbelieve, then indeed, Allah has in His heavens and on His earth from the angels and the two weighty ones those who glorify Him and worship Him and are conscious of Him. And Allah is, with that, free of need of His creation and their worship altogether, deserving of praise for the abundance of His blessings, even if none of them praises Him. And the repetition of His saying, 'To Allah belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth,' confirms what necessitates His piety, so that they may be conscious of Him, obey Him, and not disobey Him, because fear and piety are the essence of all good. If He wills, He could remove you and bring forth another people in your place or create others besides mankind. And Allah is, regarding that of destruction and creation, capable, with great power; nothing that He wills is impossible for Him. And this is a warning to them and a threat and a clarification of His power. It was said: This is a speech directed to those who opposed the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, from among the Arabs. That is, if He wills, He could remove you and bring forth other people who support Him. It is narrated that when this was revealed, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, struck his hand on the back of Salman and said: 'These are his people.' [Reported by al-Tabari from the narration of Suhail from his father from Abu Huraira with this, and he said: 'Meaning the non-Arabs of Persia.'] He means the sons of Persia.