His saying, the Almighty: 'And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths'—the verse.

18018 - From Abu Hilal that it reached him that Quraysh used to say: Allah has sent a prophet from among us; no nation of the nations was more obedient to its Creator, nor more heedful of its prophet, nor more firmly clinging to its Book than we are. So Allah revealed: 'Had We a reminder from the former [peoples], We would have been servants of Allah, the chosen ones.' [And they say:] 'Had the Book been sent down upon us, we would have been better guided than them.' And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be better guided than any one of the nations. And the Jews used to seek victory through him over the Ansar, saying: We find a prophet who will emerge.

His saying, the Almighty: 'And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon the earth any creature.'

18019 - Ahmad ibn Sinan narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, Sufyan al-Thawri narrated to us, from Abu Ishaq, from Abu al-Ahwas, from 'Abd Allah, he said: The dung beetle was almost to be punished in its burrow because of the sin of the son of Adam. Then he recited: 'And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon the earth any creature.'

18020 - From Muhammad ibn Ka'b, he said: There are three things, whoever does them shall not be saved until [the consequences] descend upon him: from plotting (makr), or transgression (baghy), or breaking a covenant (nakth). Then he recited: 'But the evil plot does not encompass except its own people' - 'O mankind, your transgression is only against yourselves' - 'So whoever breaks his word, only breaks it against himself.'

18021 - From the path of Sufyan, from Abu Zukkir al-Hufi, from a man who narrated to him that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Beware of the evil plot, for 'the evil plot does not encompass except its own people,' and they have one who will seek them from Allah.

18022 - From al-Dahhak regarding His saying: 'Do they await anything except the way of the former peoples?' He said: Do they await anything except that a punishment should befall them like what befell the former peoples of punishment?

18023 - From al-Suddi regarding His saying: 'And Allah is not such that He is rendered powerless'—he said: He will never be escaped.