The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 804
CH. 38 no delaying it. 3386 ṢĀD PT. 23 قَالَهَا مِنْ فَوَاقٍ وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا عَجِلُ لَّنَا قِطَنَا قَبْلَ يَوْمٍ ,Lord الْحِسَابِ 'Our say, 17. They "hasten to us our portion of the punishment before the Day of Reckoning, '3387 اِصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا Bear patiently what they say. 18 and remember Our servant David, the man of might; surely he was always turning to God. 3388 3386. Important Words: دَاوُدَ ذَا الْاَيْدِ إِنَّةَ أَوَّابٌ "2:201; 17:19. (qatta). They say abs i. e. he cut it. means, he nibbed the reed for القلم فاق delaying is derived from) فوق They say asti. e. the she-camel had in her udder the milk that had writing. b means, a slice cut off, a portion, share or lot, an hour or a مضى قط من الليل. portion of the night | فواق. collected between two milkings means, the time between two milkings; the time between two suckings; the returning of the milk into the udder of the she-camel after the milking; the time between the opening of one's hand and the grasping with it the udder of the she- camel; or when the milker grasps the udder and then lets it go in milking. They say i. e. he did not stay with him but as long as between two milkings of a she-camel i. e. for a very short time (Lane). Commentary: The verse means to say that the whole attitude of disbelievers shows that they will not accept the truth till Divine punishment overtakes them, but when it comes, it would be swift and sudden and they would be granted no respite or delay. 3387. Important Words: (our portion) is derived from 2718 means, a portion of the night passed (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The verse means to say that when disbelievers are warned that if they do not accept the Holy Prophet they will be punished, they turn the warning into an occasion for mocking the Prophet, and jeeringly say, "We demand to have the punishment here and now, and want no more respite. " The use of the words "Day of Reckoning" implies that disbelievers will get the punishment when the reckoning of their evil deeds will have been made and they are shown to have fully deserved it. 3388. Commentary: In this and the following several verses the Holy Prophet has been enjoined to bear patiently the jeers and sneers of disbelievers, like Prophets David, Solomon and Job