He said: "Establish your rows, stand straight." He wanted Allah to guide the angels through you. Then he would say: "And indeed, we are those who line up," "You, move back, O so-and-so; move forward, O so-and-so." Then he would move forward and pronounce the takbir, may Allah be pleased with him (1).

18314 - From Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "And indeed, we are those who line up," he said: "Rows in the heaven. And indeed, we are those who exalt Allah," meaning the ones who pray. This is the speech of the angels, clarifying their place in worship (2).

His saying, the Almighty: "And indeed, they used to say."

18315 - From Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "And indeed, they used to say," he said: "This nation said that before Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent. So when Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, came to them, they disbelieved in him. 'But they are going to know.' And regarding His saying: 'And Our word has already preceded...'

He said: 'Prophets used to be killed while they were victorious, and the believers used to be killed while they were victorious. They were victorious through the arguments [proofs] in the worldly life and the Hereafter. Never was a prophet ever killed, nor a people from the believers who call to the truth, such that that nation and generation would perish, until Allah would send a generation through whom He would grant them victory over them' (3)."

His saying, the Almighty: "So leave them for a time, and see them, for they are going to see."

18316 - From Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "So leave them for a time," he said: "Until death. 'And see them, for they are going to see,'" he said: "They saw [it] when seeing them was of no benefit to them" (4).

18317 - From al-Suddi, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "So leave them for a time," he said: "The Day of Resurrection" (5).

18318 - From al-Suddi, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding His saying: "So leave them for a time," he said: "The day of Badr. And regarding His saying: 'But when it descends in their courtyard,'" he said: "In their homes. 'And evil is the morning of those who were warned,'" he said: "'Wretched is the morning they experience'" (6).

18319 - From Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, attacked Khaybar at dawn while they were coming out with their shovels. When they looked at him, they said: 'Muhammad and the army!' So he said: 'Allah is the Greatest! Khaybar is ruined! Indeed, when we descend in the courtyard of a people, then evil is the morning of those who were warned.' So we struck some donkeys outside the village and cooked them. It is said: 'The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him [prohibited it]! Indeed, Allah and His Messenger forbid you from [eating] domestic donkeys, for they are impure, from the work of Satan'" (1).