As-Saaffaat (Those drawn up in Ranks)

177. “But when it shall descend in their courtyard, how evil will be the morning of them that are warned!”

178. “And turn you away from them for a time.”

179. “And see you, for they shall soon see (their fate).”

Against the heedlessness of the pagans to the threats of Allah, repetition is necessary. The Qur’anic commandments: /tawalla ‘anhum/ (turn you away from them) and /wa ’absir fasaufa yubsirun/ (and see you, for they shall soon see) have been repeated two times.

The first verse indicates that when the punishment of Allah will come down in the courtyard of their houses and their circumstances become dark for them, that time they will understand how bad and dangerous the morning of those who are warned is.

It says:

“But when it shall descend in their courtyard, how evil will be the morning of them that are warned!”

The application of the Arabic word /sahat/ (courtyard) is for the sake that it may illustrate the descent of the punishment inside their life and living, and that it shows them that the centre of their peace and tranquillity changes into a terror and terrible centre.

The application of the Qur’anic phrase /sabah ul munŏarin/ (the morning of them that are warned) points to this meaning that the chastisement of Allah upon this cruel nation, like in many ancient nations, will come in the morning. Or that morning is the time of awakening and they will awaken when there has been no way to salvation and everything has been done.

The subject discussed in the second and third verse is the same thing which was mentioned formerly, too, and it is repeated here again for emphasis.

The Qur’an, with a threatening tone, says:

“And turn you away from them for a time.” “And see you, for they shall soon see (their fate).”

As we said before, this repetition is for emphasis, so that they know that this is a decisive subject that they will meet the painful results of their evil deeds, and that the believers are surely victorious either.

Or it is for the sake that, at first, it threatens them to the worldly punishment, and in the second time it threatens them to the chastisement and retribution of Allah in Hereafter.