Ibrahim: 42

Ayah

Word by Word

وَلَا

And (do) not

تَحۡسَبَنَّ

think

ٱللَّهَ

(that) Allah

غَٰفِلًا

(is) unaware

عَمَّا

of what

يَعۡمَلُ

ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَۚ

the wrongdoers

إِنَّمَا

Only

يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ

He gives them respite

لِيَوۡمٖ

to a Day

تَشۡخَصُ

will stare

فِيهِ

in it

ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ

the eyes

Translation

Think not that Allah doth not heed the deeds of those who do wrong. He but giveth them respite against a Day when the eyes will fixedly stare in horror,-

Tafsir

Allah gives Respite to the Disbelievers and is never unaware of what They do

Allah says,

وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ اللّهَ غَافِلً عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do,

Allah says, `O Muhammad, do not think that Allah is unaware of what the unjust disbelievers do. Do not think because Allah gave them respite and delayed their punishment that He is unaware or ignoring punishing them for what they do. Rather, Allah keeps full account of this for them and keeps it on record against them,

إِنَّمَا يُوَخِّرُهُمۡ لِيَوۡمٍ تَشۡخَصُ فِيهِ الَابۡصَارُ

but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.

from the horror of the Day of Resurrection.

Allah next mentions how they will all be raised up from their graves and hurriedly gathered for the Day of Gathering

مُهۡطِعِينَ

hastening forward,

in a hurry.

Allah said in other Ayat,

مُّهۡطِعِينَ إِلَى الدَّاعِ

Hastening towards the caller. (54:8)

يَوۡمَيِذٍ يَتَّبِعُونَ الدَّاعِىَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُ

On that Day mankind will follow strictly Allah's caller, no crookedness will they show him.) (20:108) until,

وَعَنَتِ الۡوُجُوهُ لِلۡحَىِّ الۡقَيُّومِ

And (all) faces shall be humbled before the Ever Living, the Sustainer. (20:111)

Allah said:another Ayah,

يَوۡمَ يَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ الاٌّجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعاً

The Day when they will come out of the graves quickly. (70:43)

Allah said next,

مُقۡنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمۡ

with necks outstretched,

meaning, raising their heads up, according to Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and several others.

Allah said next,

لَا يَرۡتَدُّ إِلَيۡهِمۡ طَرۡفُهُمۡ

their gaze returning not towards them,

meaning, their eyes are staring in confusion, trying not to blink because of the horror and tremendous insights they are experiencing, and fear of what is going to strike them, we seek refuge with Allah from this end.

This is why Allah said,

وَأَفۡيِدَتُهُمۡ هَوَاء

and their hearts empty.

meaning, their hearts are empty due to extreme fear and fright.

Qatadah and several others said that;

the places of their hearts are empty then, because the hearts will ascend to the throats due to extreme fear.