“And We did not reveal the Book to you except so that you may make clear to them what they differed about, and as guidance and mercy for a people who believe.” (Qur’an 16:64) Ibn ʿĀshūr رحمه الله said: “The Qur’an’s greatest objective is these comprehensive benefits that contain the foundations of all goodness: uncovering ignorance, guiding to true knowledge, and the result of these two matters — mercy — which arises from avoiding misguidance and following guidance.” (Tafsīr Ibn ʿĀshūr, 14/196)

﴿ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ﴾ “Those who are patient and who place their trust in their Lord.” (Surah An-Naḥl, 16:42) Some of the people of deep insight said: The best of creation are those who, when a matter befalls them, are patient; and when they are unable to deal with a matter, they place their trust (in Allah). (Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, 12/328)

﴿And [He created] horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and as adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.﴾ (Qur’an 16:8) Regarding His saying: ﴿And He creates that which you do not know﴾ — this refers to things that would come into existence after the revelation of the Qur’an: things which people would ride on land, sea, and air, and which they would use for their benefits and interests. He did not mention them specifically by name, because Allah Most High mentions in His Book only what His servants already know, or what they know something similar to. As for that which has no known counterpart, if it were mentioned explicitly, they would not recognize it nor understand what was intended. Therefore, He mentions a comprehensive, general expression that includes what they know and what they do not know. This is similar to how the bliss of Paradise is described: He mentions from it what we know and can observe a likeness of — such as date-palms, grapes, and pomegranates — while leaving unspecified, in a general manner, that for which we have no known equivalent. [Tafsīr al-Saʿdī, p. 436]

﴿فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱتَّبِعْ أَدْبَٰرَهُمْ وَلَا يَلْتَفِتْ مِنكُمْ أَحَدٌ﴾ “So travel by night with your family, follow behind them, and let none of you turn back.” It has been the custom of the noble and distinguished leaders to place themselves closest to what is most frightening—out of willingness to sacrifice themselves, to steady and reassure others, and because they know that drawing near to something that causes fear does not bring one closer to death, just as avoiding it does not avert what has been decreed, nor does it distance one from harm. This is also so that your heart is not preoccupied with those behind you, and so that they hold you in awe and thus do not turn back, nor does any of them lag behind—along with other beneficial wisdoms.[al-Biqāʿī, 4/229] ﴿فَأَسْرِ بِأَهْلِكَ بِقِطْعٍ مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱتَّبِعْ أَدْبَٰرَهُمْ﴾ “So travel by night with your family and follow behind them.” Meaning that Lūṭ (peace be upon him) was to walk behind them in order to better guard and protect them. Likewise, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would walk at the rear during expeditions, acting as the rear guard—urging on the weak and carrying those who had fallen behind.[Ibn Kathīr, 2/535]

> “And death comes to him from every place.” Ibrāhīm al-Taymī said: It comes to him from every part of his body, even from the tips of his hair, due to the pains that are present throughout his body. Al-Ḍaḥḥāk said: Death comes to him from every direction and place, even from the big toe of his feet. [al-Qurṭubī 12/122]