Concerning Allah's statement,

﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا الشَّيَـطِينَ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ تَؤُزُّهُمْ أَزّاً ﴾

(See you not that We have sent the Shayatin against the disbelievers to push them to do evil.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said, "They will lead them astray with temptation.'' Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "They will incite them against Muhammad and his Companions.'' Qatadah said, "They will harass them and disturb them until they disobey Allah.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd said, "This is similar to Allah's statement,

﴿وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَاناً فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ ﴾

(And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious, We appoint for him a Shaytan to be a companion for him.)'' ﴿43:36﴾ Concerning Allah's statement,

﴿فَلاَ تَعْجَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدّاً ﴾

(So make no haste against them; We only count out to them a (limited) number.) This means, "Do not be hasty with the punishment that is going to befall them, O Muhammad.''

﴿إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدّاً﴾

(We only count out to them a number. ) This means, "We are only delaying them for a fixed appointment whose time is numbered. They are destined for that and there is no escaping the torment of Allah and His exemplary punishment.'' Allah says,

﴿وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَـفِلاً عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّـلِمُونَ﴾

(And consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the wrongdoers do.) ﴿14:42﴾ And He says,

﴿فَمَهِّلِ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْداً ﴾

(So give a respite to the disbelievers; deal gently with them for a while.) ﴿86:17﴾ And Allah says,

﴿إِنَّمَا نُمْلِى لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُواْ إِثْمَاً﴾

(We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness.) ﴿3:178﴾

﴿نُمَتِّعُهُمْ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ نَضْطَرُّهُمْ إِلَى عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ ﴾

(We let them enjoy for a little while, then in the end We shall oblige them to (enter) a great torment.) ﴿31:24﴾

﴿قُلْ تَمَتَّعُواْ فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ﴾

(Say: "Enjoy! But certainly, your destination is the (Hell) Fire.'') ﴿14:30﴾ As-Suddi said,

﴿إِنَّمَا نَعُدُّ لَهُمْ عَدّاً﴾

(We only count out to them a (limited) number. ) means years, months, days and hours.''

﴿يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ الْمُتَّقِينَ إِلَى الرَّحْمَـنِ وَفْداً ﴾

﴿وَنَسُوقُ الْمُجْرِمِينَ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وِرْداً ﴾

﴿لاَّ يَمْلِكُونَ الشَّفَـعَةَ إِلاَّ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ عِندَ الرَّحْمَـنِ عَهْداً ﴾

(85. The Day We shall gather those with Taqwa unto the Most Gracious (Allah), like a delegation.) (86. And We shall drive the criminals to Hell, in a thirsty state.) (87. None shall have the power of intercession, but such a one as has received permission (or promise) from the Most Gracious (Allah).)