Has the time not come for the believers that their hearts should become humble at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth? It has been read: Has the time not come, from the root 'anā ya'ānī, meaning: when will it come? It has also been read: Has it not come, from 'ān ya'īn, meaning: when will it come? It is said that they were experiencing drought in Mecca, and when they migrated, they attained sustenance and blessings, so they became lax regarding what they were upon, and this was revealed. Ibn Mas'ud reported: There was no period between our embracing Islam and being admonished by this verse except four years. [This was narrated by Muslim with the wording 'and between being admonished by Allah.' Al-Hakim made an error and was corrected.] Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Allah found the hearts of the believers to be slow, so He admonished them after thirteen years of the Quran's revelation. Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, said: By Allah, He found them slow while they were reciting less of the Quran than you do. So consider the length of what you have recited and what has appeared among you of immorality.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that this verse was recited in his presence while he was with a group from the people of Yamamah, and they wept intensely. He looked at them and said: This is how we were until our hearts became hard. It has been read: 'nazzal' and 'nazal.' 'Wa la yakunū' is an attachment to 'takhsu' and it has been read with 'ta' for the shift in address. It may also be an admonition to them against resembling the people of the Book in the hardness of hearts after they were reproached. This is because the Children of Israel had the truth preventing them from their desires, and when they heard the Torah and the Gospel, they humbled themselves before Allah and their hearts softened. But when time prolonged for them, harshness and hardness overcame them, and they differed and introduced what they introduced of distortion and other things.

If you say: What is the meaning of 'for the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth'? I say: It may be that 'the remembrance' and 'what has been revealed of the truth' refer to the Quran, as it encompasses both matters: remembrance and admonition, and it is the truth that has descended from the heavens. It may refer to their humility when Allah is mentioned and when the Quran is recited, as His saying states: 'When the name of Allah is mentioned, their hearts tremble, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith.' He meant by 'the term' the appointed time, as in the saying: ... when his term ends. [The line 'as in the saying when his term ends' is from the beginning: Every living being completes the duration of life... and a bond when its term ends... See Aliyan. I say: The explanation of this evidence has been presented in the first part, page 277, so refer to it if you wish. This is the corrector.]

It has been read: 'the term,' meaning: the longest time. 'And many of them are disobedient,' meaning: they are outside their religion, rejecting what is in the two books.