This is the Jews: when they become Jews. [His saying "This is the Jews when they become Jews" in the authentic texts: This is the Jews: he repented and returned to the truth, and "this" and "become Jews" means when he becomes a Jew.] The allies of Allah used to say: We are the children of Allah and His beloved ones. That is, if your saying is true and you were certain, then wish for Allah to cause you to die and transfer you quickly to the abode of His honor that He has prepared for His allies. Then it was said: And they will never wish for it because of what they have sent forth of disbelief. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to them: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, none of you will say it except that he chokes on his saliva." If it were not that they were certain of the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, they would have wished for it. However, they knew that if they wished for it, they would die at that moment and face the warning. None of them could bring himself to wish for it, and this is one of the miracles. It was also recited: "So wish for death," with a kasra on the waw, likening it to "if we could." There is no difference between "no" and "not" in that each one negates the future, except that "not" has an emphasis and intensification that is not in "no." So it was mentioned once with the wording of emphasis: "And they will not wish for it," and once without its wording: "And they will never wish for it." Then it was said to them: Indeed, the death from which you flee and do not dare to wish for out of fear that you will be taken by the consequences of your disbelief will not escape you; it is surely meeting you. Then you will be returned to Allah, and He will reward you according to what you are deserving of from punishment. Zayd ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, read: "Indeed, it is meeting you." In the reading of Ibn Mas'ud: "You flee from it, it is meeting you," and this is clear. As for the one with the fa, it implies that which has the meaning of condition. The phrase "Indeed, the death from which you flee" was made a statement in itself in the reading of Zayd, meaning: Indeed, death is the thing you flee from, then it was resumed: "It is meeting you."