The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 512
CH. 6 AL-AN'ĀM and He will inform you of that wherein you used to differ. 904 PT. 8 فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمُ خَلَّفَ الْأَرْضِ And He it is Who has. 166 وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَتِ on the earth and has exalted لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا أَشْكُمْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ made you successors of others some of you over the others in degrees of rank, "that He may سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمُ try you by that which He has given you. Surely, thy Lord is quick in punishment; and surely He is Most Merciful. 905 Forgiving, 5:49; 11:8; 67:3. 904. Commentary: The verse supplies the reason why one should be devoted to God, for He alone is "the Lord of all things". The verse also makes it clear that on the day when man will be presented before God and will render an account of his deeds, nobody will be able to take upon himself a part of his burden. The word "burden" here signifies "sin". In the words, bearer of burden, it is also hinted that this principle applies only to human beings who are the bearers of burdens; but that if God so willed, He could Himself remove the burden of a soul, i. e. pardon it. 905. Commentary: This Surah began with a reference to "darkness" and "light", and in its concluding verse also reference has been made to the same subject, though in different words. The verse purports to say that the people of darkness and the people of light will get their respective rewards at the hands of God. The words, quick in punishment, refer to the punishment of those who are in darkness, while the words, Most Forgiving, Merciful, refer to the good reward of those who are endowed with light. The words, that He may try you by that which He has given you, are intended to point to the great purpose for which "darkness" and "light" have been created, the expression, given you, hinting that both light and darkness have been created for the ultimate good of man. Indeed if there had been no darkness, there would have been no progress. See also 6:2. 952