The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 433
PT. 7 R. 8. AL-AN'ĀM CH. 6 until, when death comes to anyone of you, Our messengers وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ 62. And "He is Supreme over His servants, and b He sends عَلَيْكُمْ حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ guardians to watch over you الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لَا يُفَرِّطُوْنَ ثُمَّ رُدُّوا إِلَى اللهِ مَوْلَهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلَا لَهُ Then are they returned to. 63 قف الحُكْمُ وَهُوَ اَسْرَعُ الْحَسِبِينَ take his soul, and they fail not. 807 Allah, their true Lord. Surely, His is the judgement. And He is the quickest of reckoners. 808 Commentary: 6:19; 13:17. 13:12; 82:11. The subject that none but God is entitled to punish is continued in this verse, which says that God alone knows the condition of man by night and his actions by day, and all times are subject to His control, and, therefore, it is He alone Who knows the true character of the pious and the wicked, and consequently none but He is in a position to punish. Again, it is He alone who knows the time most suited for the death of a person and, therefore, He has not entrusted the work of punishment to others. The words, that the appointed term may be completed, do not refer to any term arbitrarily fixed by God. The "term" spoken of here is determined by the faculties and powers with which man is endowed from the time of his birth, and is liable to be increased or decreased according as a right or wrong use is made of the faculties granted to him. There is no reference here to the eternal 873 knowledge of God. 807. Commentary: This verse provides another reason why God alone is entitled to punish. He is (Supreme), i. e. Powerful and Mighty over all, therefore He can punish any of His creatures whenever He thinks it proper. The powerful are never in a hurry to punish, for they know that they can punish whenever they will. Again, it is God Himself Who guards His creatures supports them, and it is through His grace that they enjoy security. So destruction can befall them only when He withdraws His grace, and He does so when He thinks it proper. and The words, they fail not, signify that when God finally issues a decree, nothing can delay it or set it aside. 808. Commentary: The reader should note that when speaking of death, the Quran uses the expression "When death comes to anyone of you" (see the preceding